Shibboleth
by MutteringsofMadness
Summary: A collection of drabbles, one-shots, five shots, and mood pieces based off of the Hobbit and Noticeable Differences. WARNING: May cause: extreme triggering of feels; semi-psychotic fits of laughter; acute confusion and drowsiness; uncontrollable blinking; death. Read with caution. THIS CHAPTER: Pre AUJ, Ered Luin Era. Young Kili and Fili trying to play matchmaker for their Uncle.
1. Brothers

_**I own nothing that belongs to Tolkien or Peter Jackson. Don't sue.**_

* * *

 **BROTHERS**

Fili was angry. Kili rather didn't like it when this happened.

He would stop talking, stop laughing. Every look to Kili would be a thinly veiled glare. His movements were stiff. It was like he was trying to hide the fact hat he was angry, and failing.

Of course, Kili had to admit, this anger was perhaps justified. It had likely seemed a stupid thing, letting the taunts of those dwarves get to him. But honestly, who goes about insulting the dead father of someone? That was too low of a blow. Despite his aching jaw, eye, and ribs, and Fili still being annoyed, Kili would have started that fight all over again.

He sent a glance up at Fili. Still annoyed.

"Fee?"

"Yes?" The dwarf replied sharply, swinging his harsh gaze down on to the younger one.

Suddenly, Kili's sense of justice in his own actions collapsed, and he ducked away from his brother's glare. "Nothing."

Fili only grunted in response to that, keeping up his long strides down the road. Kili had no choice but to jog a few steps to keep up.

He really didn't see _why_ Fili was so angry. Kili had actually been winning the fight when his brother arrived! He should be proud! But no. Of course not. Fili had to tear him, by his collar, away from those boys, to leave them snickering at his back as he was marched off by his _brother._ That was even worse than possibly _losing_ the fight! He would never outlive this.

"I was fighting for Da, you know."

Fili sent him an incredulous look. "What?"

"They were insulting Da!" Kili bit out, forcing himself not to avoid his brother's gaze as he stopped stubbornly in the middle of the road. "I had to fight back."

Fili faltered for a second, watching him, before he shook his head, continuing to walk. "Come on, Kee."

"No."

Fili stopped abruptly, glancing back at his still stationary brother. "What?"

"I'm not 'coming on,'" Kili shot back, gritting his bloodied hands into fists. "You shouldn't have dragged me away like that. They were saying nasty things about _my Da_ and there's no way I'm going to stand by and let them do that, dammit!" the curse slipped, a bit unnaturally out of his lips, but Kili felt a bloom of pride in his chest. Cursing to make a point. He was already more grown up than Fili.

Fili tensed, and opened his mouth to speak, but after a moment, he let it fall closed again, sighing. "Mum'd swat you if she heard you cursing like that."

With that, he turned, about to continue down the road. Kili stopped him though, planting his feet hard in the dirt, practically shouting at his brother's back. "You are such a _coward!_ This is my Da and his honor I'm talking about! The fact that you'd let his name be laughed at and-and _joked_ with, it's _sick!"_ Finally, Fili stopped, so Kili pressed on. "Maybe I _was_ fighting in the streets, but at least I'm not just going to roll over on bloody _everything-"_

 _"Shut up!"_ Fili suddenly roared, turning on his heel to face his brother, near spitting with fury. "You didn't know Da, Kee! You don't _remember him!"_ Kili tried to protest, but Fili continued. "Stop pretending like your some mighty warrior, defending his honor. You're a dirty _brat_ brawling on the streets 'cause some daft village boys managed to get a rise out of you! Da would be _ashamed!"_

"No!" Kili shot back, though his brother's words were starting to weaken his argument. "I was fighting for him!"

"You were fighting for _yourself,"_ Fili growled in return. "You always do." Kili wilted further at that, but Fili continued. "Da would _hate_ to see you right now. Some squalling, insolent, _irresponsible_ dwarfling who can't hold his temper for _three minutes!"_

"I'm not a dwarfling," Kili protested weakly, after a moment, having nothing else to argue back with.

"Yes," Fili said, the fire all of the sudden draining out of him. "You are."

The silence hung heavily for a moment, before Fili turned with a sigh, continuing down the road.

Shame burned hot behind Kili's eyes, and the pain from his numerous bruises and scrapes returned with a vengeance. Maybe Fili was right. He always was. He was always the better dwarf. So big, and grown up, while Kili was left in the dust, to be the stupid, scrawny little brother.

What had he been thinking, saying Da would be proud of him? He should have been the bigger dwarf. He should have ignored their calls and jibes. He should have been _more like Fili._

As the weight of this settled on Kili's shoulders, there was little he could do to stop the tears now, from squeezing hot and sharp out of his eyelids. As they fell down his face, they stung at the scrapes adorning his cheeks, and a vicious throb was starting up from behind his right eye, which would likely be turning black and blue soon.

"Come on."

Kili jerked a bit at the rough voice, and squinted through tears to see his brother kneeling on the road before him, offering his back. Kili shook his head. He wouldn't be carried. He would stay right where he was until he starved to death. Fili and mum didn't need him. They'd probably be better without such a _failure_ like him.

Fili let out an exasperated sigh. "Come on up, Kee. We've got to get home."

"No," Kili mumbled out, clenching his teeth hard against a sob.

Fili finally turned, placing a gentle hand atop Kili's ratty hair. "I'm sorry for shouting, aye?"

"Not going home!" Kili protested.

"Fine," Fili huffed, standing up. "Have it that way."

A whimper squeezed out of Kili's throat as his brother marched on down the road, getting far too far away far too quickly for Kili's taste. In a moment, he was running after him. " _Fili!_ "

Without looking back, Fili knelt down again. Soon Kili had latched himself onto the warm strength of his brother, locking his arms around his neck, burying his face into the collar of his shirt. Fili stood up, hooking his arms through Kili's legs, and they were off, trodding down the road in silence.

As a sob caught in Kili's throat, he clenched his arms all the tighter around Fili's neck, trying to muffle his crying. Fili let out a strangled cough. "Kili, you're choking-"

"I love you, Fee."

It seemed that Fili heard his mumble as he relaxed a bit, hitching Kili a bit higher on his back. "Love you too, Kee."

* * *

 _ **Durin Bros ftw, forever and always.**_

 _ **Anyway, here we are at the start of a new thing! I swear this what, week and a half? of not posting anything has just about killed me. I'm sucha addict. But a happy one. If you have any ideas or requests, feel free to leave a review or PM me! I'm always looking for inspiration.**_

 _ **If you haven't read my other story, Noticeable Differences, and plan to continue reading this collection, I recommend you go read that other story now. A lotta things will make a lot more sense. So review, I suppose, and see you all next Friday!**_

 **NEXT CHAPTER:**

 **Six Times They Might've Met**

Kili and Gwen have been alive for quite a while...What if they had met before the events of "Noticeable Differences"?

 _Romance/Friendship - Words: 3,750 - [Kili, Gwen], Fili_


	2. Six Times They Might've Met

_**I own nothing. All rights go to Tolkien and Peter Jackson.**_

 **NOTE:** _ **The "age" at the beginning of each section is Kili's age at the time**_

* * *

 **SIX TIMES THEY MIGHT'VE MET**

 **AGE: 1 year**

"Please?"

"No."

"...pretty please?"

"The answer's still no, no matter how pretty."

"But Aunt _Kallyn,_ it's red! You know red is my favorite in the whole world!"

The shop owner, Marrrown, put on his best smile as he approached the girl, begging the elderly woman she was with, pointing to something on his table. The woman had wrinkled, but still sharp features, and her wiry gray hair was tucked into a scarf, though a few strands flew out around her face. The girl was barely able to peek above the edge of the table, but her dark gaze was locked onto a swirl-shaped brooch with a red polished bit of glass in the center. "I see you're interested in that pin."

"Yes," the girl immediately answered while the elderly woman gave him a hard glare.

"No, we are not interested, thank you."

Marrown ignored the old woman, speaking directly to the girl, who looked up at him pleadingly. "If it's red you like, we've got some lovely necklaces over here."

The girl's gaze shot up to the woman. "Aunt Kallyn, necklaces. _Necklaces."_

"They'll choke you while you're sleeping. Now come on, those potatoes aren't going to buy themselves."

Marrown heard the girl continue to protest as she was literally dragged away into another section of the market. Marrown busied himself for a few minutes polishing up a few pieces of jewelry that had been marred by fingerprints. He set down the last piece, a ring with a clear gem on it, just as another group approached his stall. It was a dwarven man and woman, both of them with dark hair, and similarly sharp, stormy eyes. Siblings, perhaps? The female one was carrying a small bundle, that, upon closer inspection, was an infant, with a thick head of dark hair already growing, and a nose like the woman Marrown could assume was the child's mother.

"We haven't time for this, sister," the male dwarf gritted out. "Fili will wake any moment."

"Oh, hush," the dwarven woman sighed, her eyes scanning over the bits of metal on the table. "I'll only be a minute."

"What can I interest you in?" Marrown asked her, smiling.

"Oh, I'm just looking," she replied distractedly, beginning to bounce the baby on her hip as it woke slightly.

Another small voice piped up, and Marrown looked down, in a bit of shock, to see the little girl from before, cheeks flushed from exertion, at the edge of the table. "I got away. Now, how much for the pretty red one?"

Marrown chuckled, his surprise fading. This was a mischievous little brat. "Where's your Aunt gone, lass? She'll be looking for you."

"Will not!" she protested. "She's too busy with _potatoes."_

He wondered for a moment at her obvious distaste for potatoes, but the dwarven woman spoke suddenly. "Kili! Let go of that."

The baby in her arms had snatched a bit of jewelry out of the woman's hand. On closer inspection, it was the pin the girl had been so very fond of. The girl gasped as she witnessed what had happened. "He likes my pin too!"

" _There_ you are."

That was the elderly woman from earlier, relief clear in her eyes upon finding the little girl, still gaping at the dwarven woman as she extricated the pin from the baby's grasp. "I can't believe you ran off!" the woman admonished, reaching down for the girl's hand. "I've been half-mad looking for you. Now come on, I still haven't found my potatoes."

"Sorry about that," the dwarven woman chuckled, as she set the pin back on the table. "He seems to love red."

Marrown nodded, still able to see the elderly woman dragging the girl away. "But Aunt Kallyn, that hairy baby-"

"He's less hairy than you," the elderly woman snapped back. "Now pick up your feet before I do it for you."

"But-" the girl was cut off with a screech as the woman did just as she'd threatened. At this sound, the baby began stuttering in its breathing, a sure sign of an imminent temper tantrum. As the two dwarves walked away, trying to nurse the baby back into silence, Marrown sighed. Business just wasn't as good as it used to be.

* * *

 **AGE: 17 years**

Glory liked singing. She knew lots of songs, the ones Kallyn had sung to her, the ones she heard on the streets, and a few that she'd even made up herself. There was one she was particularly proud of, that she'd come up with when she saw a frog dead on the street the previous fortnight.

Mallyn even said she had a pretty voice! And why would Mallyn lie? She was very nice. Nicer than Kallyn, although Glory did find herself missing the old hag sometimes...

Her musing was interrupted as she nearly tripped over something on the ground, letting out a rather undignified squeak as she narrowly avoided a nasty fall. She regained her footing in a moment, but her heart still thudded painfully in her chest. However, she soon found herself astonished as she got a closer look at the thing she'd tripped on. Was it..."Are you a baby?'

The little boy, who'd been crouched on the side of the road, wrinkled his nose up at her, mumbling, "No."

Glory crouched down beside him. "Then what are you?"

"Kee."

"A key?" Glory frowned. No he wasn't. She was quite positive that he'd be entirely useless in opening doors.

"Kee? Brother!"

She glanced up at that other voice, echoing down the street, before looking back down at the small boy, crouched on the ground. "Do they know you?"

"Brudder," the boy spat out, furrowing his brow in upset. "Fee's mean."

"Mean?" If there was one thing Glory didn't like, it was meanies. Kallyn always said that the meanies were just people that got dropped on their head when they were little. There must be a lot of people that got dropped on their heads, because it seemed like there were a lot of meanies.

The boy nodded.

"Kee! Come on!"

Glory looked up to see a blonde boy with longish hair standing down the street a bit. "Are you the meanie?"

"What?" he asked, frowning in confusion. "I'm not a meanie!"

"The key says you are!" she cried, standing and pointing at the little boy, who was watching their exchange with wide eyes.

The blonde boy rolled his eyes. "C'mon Kee. Let's get away from this stupid girl."

Glory gasped as the little boy dragged himself up to his feet. "I'm not _stupid!_ Mallyn says I'm _really_ clever!"

"Then Mallyn's stupid too!" the boy shot back, striding forward to grab the little boy by the hand, dragging him away.

Glory struggled for something to say as she watched their retreating backs. "Well...I bet you got dropped on your head _twice!"_

The boy turned to stick his tongue out at her, shouting, "Doesn't make you less stupid!" before disappearing around a corner.

Glory huffed. Boys were mean.

* * *

 **AGE: 38 years**

Kili rubbed viciously at his eyes, swinging his legs at a savage pace over the edge of the bridge. No, he was not _crying_. Durins didn't cry. But boy, did Kili want to. It just wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that Fili got all of Uncle Thorin's attention just because he was the oldest and got to inherit the throne. Fili didn't even want the throne! He's said so a few times. But every time Kili had offered to take the duty off of his hands, his brother would simply laugh, and tell him that it was nice of him to offer.

Sometimes, it felt like everyone just ignored Kili. Like he wasn't important. Not to Fili, not to Mama, and _certainly_ not to Uncle Thorin. He couldn't count on his hands the number of times in the past week his Uncle had dismissed him with a quite distracted, "Not now, Kili. This is important."

So he _wasn't_ important then?! He clenched his fists tight, longing to rip, punch, _destroy_ , just to hurt _something!_ Maybe that would show his uncle that he wasn't just something you could always push aside in favor of the better son of Dis!

He heard footsteps behind him, and froze. "Fee, go away."

"M'name's not Fee, and I'm not goin' away."

For some reason, Kili felt more heat push behind his eyes. So Fili didn't even bother coming after him?

Someone sat beside him, and he glanced over to see it was a girl. Oh, he wasn't very fond of girls. They just never seemed to understand. "This is where I come when I'm angry too," she said, quite simply. All Kili could see of her was her pale, bare feet swinging over the water like his.

"Not angry..."

She snorted, and Kili resisted the urge to push her right off the ledge. "Don't bother. What's happened?"

Part of him wanted to tell this girl. That way, at least _someone_ would understand how hard it was to be him. But he refused to stoop to that level. She was a girl, and girls were, on principal, stupid. She'd probably not understand. "...Go 'way."

The girl paused for a while. "I think you're the same age as my brother."

Kili couldn't deny, this caught his interest. "How old's he?"

"Eleven."

Kili scoffed. This girl _was_ stupid. "I'm not _eleven._ I turned thirty-eight last month."

"You're acting like you're eleven," she shot back, tone unforgiving.

"And you're acting like a _girl!"_

"Good thing I am one, then," she chuckled drily.

There was a long silence in which Kili refused to dignify this annoying girl with a response. She eventually broke the silence, though. "Sometimes, people are stupid, aren't they?"

Kili ignored her. She finally stopped swinging her feet underneath her, pulling her knees up to her chest. "Seems like no one else understands you, and like no one else could."

He found himself agreeing with her.

"It's just not fair, is it?"

Despite his best efforts, Kili found himself looking up at her. To his surprise, there were tears welling in her dark eyes, though her expression remained blank. "No," he said quietly. "It's awful."

She nodded, and Kili watched, transfixed, as a tear dripped from her eye, sliding down her cheek and off her chin. As she silently began crying, Kili felt tears begin to build in his own eyes, and for once, he didn't fight them. He _deserved_ to cry. Here he was, miles from home, thrown out by an Uncle, brother, and mother who only saw him as an annoyance. And the only comfort he had was this random girl he was sitting on the edge of a bridge beside, while the both of them sobbed silently to themselves. That, at least, was deserving of a good cry.

His head began to throb dully, as he ran out of tears. His face was slick with salty tears, and his nose had run snot all down his face. He was an utter mess, and just couldn't bring himself to care. What did it matter if he was never really going to be anything but Fili's annoying little brother, anyway?

"Stand up," the girl said, suddenly. He glanced up, a bit surprised to see her standing, scrubbing the tears off her face with the sleeve of her jacket. "Come on, get up."

Kili dragged himself to obey, halfheartedly swiping a sleeve over his nose. "Why?"

"I left my brother at home alone, and I'm not going to leave you here like this."

"Where's your mum? Can't she just look after him?" Kili scuffed a boot in the dirt. He didn't feel like going anywhere. He just wanted to stay and sit on this bridge.

"She's dead," the girl said, quite simply.

"Oh," was the only response he could muster.

"Aren't you coming then?"

He nodded.

* * *

 **AGE: 45 years**

There was quite a hoopla going on in the town square when they arrived in the little southern town. It was nearing sunset, and the space was filled with humans, dancing and laughing. Ori had quite insisted that they just ate at the tavern then retired for a good night's rest, but Kili, Fili and Bofur had all wanted to join in the festivities a bit, so they all agreed that they'd go back to the room before midnight. Kili was starting to think that far too early of a curfew. The wine flowed freely at this gathering, which Kili eventually identified as a wedding, and Fili was too busy getting smashed himself to keep Kili from drinking a bit more than what might have been good for him. He'd kept it under control, of course, due mostly to a fretting Ori, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't at least a little tipsy.

Not to mention the fact that drunken humans were _fun._ They laughed easily, danced easily, sang easily; all the most fun things in the world. Except one girl. He'd seen her an hour ago, sitting under a tree on a small bench. She looked a year or two older than him, and pretty enough, he supposed. Not necessarily as...exciting as some of those flirty, buxom lasses with braided hair and corsets, but nice enough. Many people stopped by to talk to her, and she entertained them with a bit of a smile and a light tone, but Kili could tell it was fake. The smiles never managed to reach the darkness of her eyes.

Confidence bolstered by half a dozen swooning lasses and more than a few glasses of wine, Kili sauntered over, seating himself beside her on the bench. "Lovely night, isn't it?"

"Lovely enough," she answered in a soft voice.

"You don't have to lie to me, you know," he told her in a bit more of a hushed tone. "I know you're miserable."

She chuckled humorlessly, but didn't reply.

"So, tell me, what's got such a pretty little lass such as yourself upset?"

She leaned back against the tree, crossing her arms over her chest. There was a long pause before she spoke. "See the groom?" He followed her pointing to a man near the center of the square, caught up in the dance. He was a few years older than this girl, with sandy brown hair and a warm complexion. "He's my brother."

"Oh." Kili wasn't expecting that. They hardly looked alike...

"And today will officially mark the disappearance of the last person in this Guldur-forsaken realm that actually cares about me."

Kili raised a brow, watching the man twirl about a fair, ornately dressed woman he assumed was the bride. "Is the new wife that bad?"

"No," the sullen girl huffed. "She's perfectly pleasant. But I'm not going to live in their house. I'd not belong."

"I suppose not," Kili mused. This did seem to be a rather tough situation..."But isn't tonight supposed to be for merriment?"

She 'hmm'ed in response, eyes a bit unfocused and gloomy.

"Enough sulking then." He raised a hand, and in a moment, he had a sizeable glass of fragrant red wine in his grasp. "Drink this."

She eyed the cup. "I'm not particularly in the mood to be cheered up right now, Master Dwarf. So, if you don't mind..."

"I do mind." He grabbed up her wrist, placing the glass of wine in her hand. " _Drink it."_

She shot him a glare, but tipped the glass back, draining it in a few seconds. "Happy?"

He grinned. "I will be if you'll give me the pleasure of this dance."

"Bloody dwarves," she groaned under her breath, but placed her hand in his.

* * *

 **AGE: 49 years**

It was a miserable night out. Rain had been falling steadily for the past two hours, turning the ground into a pool of muddy slop. He had been forced to travel nearly the whole day in this downpour, as Thorin insisted they reach the next town before calling it a day. By the time they reached the small town, all of his muscles ached, his stomach burning with hunger. Thorin sent Kili and his brother out to find the inn while Thorin worked out lodging for their horses at the local stable. Fili and Kili had split up about five minutes ago, each going down the main street in different directions. However, for Kili, the main street turned into a side street, which turned into an alleyway, and within minutes, he was lost. Mahal, everything looked the same in these human towns.

After a few long minutes of wandering, he caught sight of an alleyway that seemed familiar. His heart lifted. Surely, this would get him back on the right track. He was halted in his tracks halfway through, by a hissing voice. "Don't you dare come another step closer."

He froze, scanning the darkness around him for the source of the noise. "I'm not, I'm not," he assured them, trying to sound calm. This was the last thing he needed tonight. "Now, who's there?"

"No one to concern yourself with," the voice snapped. His eyes finally adjusted to the dark, and Kili identified that he was speaking with a dark, hooded figure, not a hobbit or dwarf, judging by their stature. Their hand was pale and small, clenched tightly, near trembling, around the hilt of a knife.

Kili took in a deep breath. "Now that doesn't seem true. Why don't you take your hood off for a moment?"

"It _is_ raining," they explained, as if this should be obvious.

"Well, yes," Kili agreed, backtracking a bit. "But a little rain never hurt anyone. You might find it a bit refreshing."

A light passed by on the street, illuminating the face under the hood. It was a girl, in her teens, her dark hair plastered to her pale, high cheeks. Her eyes bore dark and fearful into his as she flinched away from the brightness.

"Ah," Kili chuckled, smiling at her. This wasn't some criminal, it was a scared girl. Hardly something to be feared. "There's the pretty lass. Now why don't you tell me what you're doing out tonight in this weather."

"Just..." she hesitated, and all the sting left her tone. "Just leave me alone, aye? I'm not in the mood for kindness."

"That's what people looking for kindness always say," he quipped, coming a step closer, one eye on her knife, held at her side. "What's bothering you?"

"Don't ever bother with love, Master Dwarf," she sighed after a moment, tone speaking of a deep grief. "At least, not when nothing lasting can come of it."

Kili frowned. What was that supposed to mean?

He didn't get the chance to squeeze an explanation out of her, as he heard Fili's voice, down the street a ways. "Kili? Where are you!?"

"Have a nice evening," the girl said.

Before Kili could stop her, she had disappeared. Kili stared at the spot where she had been, before shaking his head, stepping out of the alleyway in the direction he'd heard his brother. "Fee?"

"There you are, brother," Fili huffed, jogging up to him, his every footstep splashing mud up his coattails. "You were supposed to meet with me half an hour ago!"

Kili was shocked. "Has it been that long?"

Fili nodded. "Lost again?"

"Aye..." Kili replied distractedly. "I guess I was."

* * *

 **AGE: 61 years**

 _And you won't be missing your lady,_

 _You won't be lonely in bed._

 _Don't worry yourself about fading,_

 _Once the good drink's filled up your head!_

The whole bar fell into drunken, roaring laughter at the conclusion of the final chorus. There were few things more amusing than drunkards singing. And those things were likely only drunk _Bofur_ singing. Then again, when was Bofur's singing ever _not_ drunk? Kili shook his head, gulping down the last few drops of ale in his tankard. He lifted a hand to call over the barmaid, continuing to watch the drunken festivities of the men filling the tavern.

However, after a few minutes, no one had come to his service. He tore his eyes from the chaos before him to scan over the rest of the room. Kili caught sight of the missing waitress, a mousy girl with glossy, dark curls of hair, pinned up at her head. She was trapped in a corner near the door, and Kili instantly recognized she was in a bit of trouble. She was cornered in by at least four men, all of them clearly drunk, with predatory looks in their eyes. Kili sighed, setting down his tankard, and pushing up from his chair. Seemed as if it was time for him to play hero. Not that he was a braggart, but he ended up having to do this a lot.

Half way across the tavern, he realized that someone beat him to the scene. It was a tall, lanky figure, a hood pulled up over their head. They had just come in from the door, it seemed. They still wore a large pack, and mud was splattered up their boots and tattered cloak. Kili frowned as within a moment, the figure had dissipated the crowd of men, letting the barmaid scurry free. The newcomer took up a seat at the abandoned table, dropping their pack to the ground next to them.

"You're quick," Kili commented, seating himself across from them.

"Perhaps you're slow."

Kili found himself astonished as the figure threw back their hood, revealing a face that was quite definitely...female. Another glance a bit...lower confirmed any doubts. He'd been beat to playing hero by a girl.

"You're a lass."

She raised a brow, sweeping her cloak off to set it on the chair beside her. "And you're a dwarf. Impressive observational skills, by the way. Not many get that I'm female, considering the long hair, feminine face, and body of a woman."

Kili regained his composure quickly, trying to recall his recently lost pride. "Body of a woman, indeed."

"You're drunk," she told him, with a roll of her eyes.

"And you're gorgeous."

"And out of your league, Master Dwarf. Now go on, before I have to scare you off too." She punctuated this by unsheathing her sword, pretending to be inspecting it with a dangerous smirk.

Kili nearly swore. He'd left his sword up in his room. All he had on him was a knife, which would be little match against the long curve of her weapon. He slid his chair out with a wink. "If y'want me later, just ask at the innkeep."

She scoffed. "In your dreams."

"I certainly hope you will be."

* * *

 _ **If you're curious as to how these two idiots actually met, (well, as actually as fanfic gets) check out my other story, Noticeable Differences! (Shameless self-plug is shameless) Hope you enjoyed! Leave a review if you could. I'm up for any sort of suggestion for future chapters of this fic. In fact, I welcome your ideas. Have a great week!**_

 _ **NEXT CHAPTER:**_

 **Seeking Perfection**

Sometimes, she had to curse him. Curse him for having left her with the inability to find perfection without him.

Angst/Hurt/Comfort - Words: 690 - Gwen, Frodo


	3. Seeking Perfection

_**I don't own anything that Jackson and Tolkien own.**_

* * *

 **SEEKING PERFECTION**

Gwen honestly wished that she could consider moments like this perfection. A cool autumn midnight, the smoke from chimneys trickling away into the clear, starry sky at the fires were allowed to burn into embers, and then nothing. A breeze hummed against the windowpanes, letting out the faintest of whistles as it caught against the grass around the house. The sky was clear through the window glass, the moon shining down bright and strong, into the room, settling in a pool over the bed where Frodo lay. He seemed quite serenely asleep, his tiny features peaceful, his mussed dark curls in stark contrast where they rested atop the fluff of his pillow.

A sigh slipped out of Gwen's lips as she settled back in her chair, letting her head fall with a faint 'thunk' onto the wood paneling behind her. All the ingredients to perfection were here. Beautiful weather, a beautiful home, a beautiful lifestyle with beautiful and truly good people. But Valar, _he_ was still missing. Curse him. Was she never to find happiness without him?

That restless, un-whole part of her heart responded with a resounding 'no.'

If Frodo wasn't sleeping in the room, perhaps she would have cursed that dwarven prince. Perhaps she should have left the room, found somewhere else to cry herself into emptiness. Instead, the words fell off her tongue, easy as breathing.

 _Tinuviel elvanui..._

Maybe she should have found some help, some solace, in this tale. Perhaps it could have shown her that all hope was not lost, that a happy ending was on the table. Maybe she _wanted_ it to comfort her in this way. Wanted to have the innocence of the child sleeping before her. Wanted to be healed by this song.

 _Elleth Alfirin..._

But, of course, that innocence was long gone.

... _ethelhael..._

Just like Kili.

"Why do you sound so sad?"

Years of practice kept Gwen from jumping at the sound of the small voice, but her heartbeat leapt. Frodo was blinking up at her blearily, his head still resting against his pillow. Gwen took in a breath to calm her nerves, before responding smoothly, "I apologize, Master Frodo. I didn't mean to wake you."

"What makes you so sad?" asked the hobbit, ignoring her apology.

"Many things," Gwen replied with a faint chuckle, letting a wry smile slip onto her lips.

Frodo frowned in response. "Why?"

That question did stump her a tad. Before she thought of it too deeply, Gwen let the bitterness out of her smile, reaching out to pat his crown of curls. "I don't know, Master Frodo. That is an interesting question though. I'll have to think on it."

Frodo may have tried to protest, but was interrupted by a sudden yawn. "Alright," was all he managed, as his eyelids began to grow weighty.

Gwen was about to stand, but Frodo continued, despite his obvious weariness. "Sing that again?" he mumbled, before adding, "But happier?"

For a moment, Gwen's smile was genuine and soft as she sighed in defeat, kneeling by the young hobbit's bedside. "Of course."

* * *

His present circumstances were far from what Frodo would consider perfect. He was wet, and cold to the bone, and hungry, and sore all over, stranded in the middle of a _swamp_ with the company of a few befuddled hobbits and a strange man called "Strider." Yet, as he lay there, staring up at the stars flickering occasionally through the clouds, a fog of _homeliness_ suddenly came over him.

For a few moments, Frodo was mystified as to the source, but it all became clear as he _really listened_ to that tune Strider was offhandedly humming as he sat watch. The notes danced off of his memory, drawing back to him images of quiet, peaceful nights, calloused, familiar hands brushing over his forehead, soft smiles designed to entertain a child, and of course, the saddest song he'd ever heard.

The way Strider placed it in his voice, though, was so different to Gwen, all those years ago. His tone was almost venerating, rather than mourning.

As Frodo listened, he soon found resolution. He would not sit by, and let this song bead, meaninglessly off of his understanding again. Gathering whatever energy he had, Frodo drew himself up, asking, "Who is she?"

* * *

 _ **Merrr, a bit of a short one, but I thought you would like it. The song was the Lay of Lethain that Aragorn sings in the Fellowship. If you're not familiar with it, go look it up. It's gorgeous. Thanks for reviews faves and follows on that last chapter! I love you all!**_

 _ **Next Chapter:**_

 **Frozen Fire**

"If anything, it seems that song would be _about_ you." _"Is that so?"_ "Aye. A gypsy, dripping with desire...moonless hair, skin so fair..." _"And warm as frozen fire."_ (Pirate/High seas AU)

Romance - Words: 2,760 - [Kili, Gwen], Fili, Bofur


	4. Frozen Fire

_**I don't own any characters or plot, or the song. Really, I own nothing. At all.**_

* * *

 **FROZEN FIRE**

It was a cool, breezy night out on the docks. The closed boathouses, repair shops and other such buildings were cold and dark, the wind rattling across the boarded windows. The briny smell of the sea was thick in the air, along with the sound of lapping water against creaking wood stilts.

It was nights like these when Kili was glad not to be at sea. He loved it, he really did, feeling the power of the sea rock his every step, the familiar groans and complaints of the _Erebor_ playing softly in the back of his thoughts. But out here, it was more quiet, more peaceful than it ever got on the ship.

Kili's serenitywas quite rudely interrupted, his heart leaping to choke out his throat, a yelp jerking from him, as a heavy hand landed on his back, nearly sending him stumbling off the platform, into the inky waves.

Just as his balance gave, though, a hand fisted in the back of his shirt, yanking him back to safety. By the time Kili recovered from the shock of a lifetime, and turned to his attackers, his heart was still thudding. He was, of course, entirely unamused (and somewhat unsurprised) to see that his attacker was none other than Bofur, bent in half guwaffing. Behind him was Fili, who didn't even bother to hide his amusement. Kili rolled his eyes, straightening his vest, and reaching up to smooth his hair. "What'dyou want, bastards?"

"Y'sound like a scairt mouse!" Bofur gasped out, still leaning on his knees in laughter.

"Look like one too," Fili added with a smirk at his own cleverness.

Kili rolled his eyes, glad for the relative darkness of the night hiding his heated cheeks. "I might've drowned, you know."

"That's why I caught ye," Bofur assured him, finally clamping his hat back down onto his head, his eyes still twinkling in mirth.

"Let's be getting along, then," Fili urged them, having already composed himself. He hoisted the shining black of his fiddle case. "I'd quite like to make some money tonight."

"Right on," Bofur assented with a nod, happily ambling down the platform that lead to the tavern.

"You should have brought yours," Fili told his brother as he waited for him to catch up.

"Broken string," Kili admitted with a shrug. "Don't be so dead set on making anything tonight though, Fee," he added, a touch of teasing in his tone. "You won't have me there playing with you, I'm not sure you'll do as well as usual."

"I don't need you!" Fili scoffed, aghast. "I'm the better one, anyway."

Kili snorted. "Oh, _aye._ You'd be nowhere without me charming the lasses into tolerating your playing."

 _"Charming?"_ Fili repeated. "Hardly charming."

"What then?" Kili prodded, smoothing his hair back again, as was his habit. "Seducing, perhaps?"

"Frightening, I'd say."

Kili gave his brother a firm swat on the shoulder. "Bastard."

Fili only chuckled in response.

Now, they were getting closer to the tavern. The building was bursting with warm light, noise of laughter and chatter, and the strum of some instrument floated through the air to their ears. Kili shivered when they walked through the open door, as he realized just how cool it had been outside. He should have brought a jacket.

Luckily, though, the tavern was warm enough, and Bofur was already seated at a table by the door, three brimming pints on the table. "C'mon, lads!"

Kili dropped happily into a seat by the man, dragging a tankard across to himself. "You move fast when there's ale involved."

Bofur grinned, and tipped his hat at Kili. "Surprised you didn't know that one already." He followed that with a long swig of ale.

Fili sat down at the table as well, setting his fiddle case down on the tabletop, unlatching it and lifting the lid. In a moment, he had it rested against his ear to hear, and was carefully tuning the strings up. Kili, meanwhile, sat back in his chair, and took in the rest of the tavern. It was certainly fairly busy. Most of the patrons were crowded up at the bar, or the tables near there, though a few chose to sit closer to the back, where an open door lead to the blackness of outside. Near the bar, a middle-aged gentleman cradled some sort of a lute instrument on his lap and was absently plucking out a tune as he listened to the other patrons chatter. "You might watch out brother," Kili advised Fili with a nod towards the other musician. "You've competition."

Fili followed his gaze with a frown as he tightened his bow. "He seems friendly enough. Shouldn't be too much of an issue."

Kili was saved from responding by the fact that his brother was already stood up from the table, carrying his fiddle and bow, picking his way across the tavern to the lutist. Bofur eyed the drink Fili had left, untouched on the table. "Do you think-"

"Have at it," Kili chuckled, not even needing to hear the rest of the question.

Kili and Bofur sat in contended silence, then, soaking in the atmosphere of the whole place. It wasn't a bad tavern, all in all.

After a bit of speaking, the lutist straightened up, and Fili raised his fiddle up into its playing position. Kili recognized the melody being played as soon as it started. It was a pretty thing, though simple. It was likely that the two instrumentalists were just trying to get used to each other.

Well enough, though, the tavern had soon fallen quieter, listening to the two play. Kili closed his eyes with a sigh, letting his mug rest against his chest and the music danced across his ears, his fingers twitching as if they wanted to play along. He should look for another string for his fiddle as soon as possible. It would be nice to be back to playing, even if it was just back on the ship, for an audience of only his ears.

The tavern burst into somewhat drunken applause as the song came to an end, and Kili opened his eyes again to see Fili beaming as the other instrumentalist's hat was passed around the crowd, gathering coins all along the way. By the time the hat returned, they were trying to decide what would be played next. After a few words, the bartender joined in, jerking his head to the side in indication.

Kili's eyes followed this movement to see a lass tucked into one of the corner front tables. She was sat lazily back into her seat, her feet propped up somewhere, her clever, dark eyes skimming lazily over the tavern scene. A sharp shout from the bartender got her attention well enough, and it was only a moment before she was lazily stretching herself into a standing position, sauntering over to the instrumentalists.

Kili found himself wishing he was standing a bit closer to them, as he couldn't hear a word they said, especially over the buzz that had started up the moment the girl was called over. Luckily, this buzz ended soon, as the lutist strummed out the first few chords of the song. A grin twitched at Kili's lips. He recognized this one. Fili had only learned it recently, and Kili was still practicing the bridge, but it was a fun one. As Fili's fiddle joined in the pulsating melody of the lute, the girl seated herself on the edge of the bar top, her legs swinging a bit with the rhythm, fingers tapping as the melody progressed, the fiddle picking up speed.

 _A hundred days at sea,_

 _A retch away from misery._

 _Rummies, and rats, and Tarry Jacks,_

 _My only family._

Kili felt a smile twitch at his lips. This girl wasn't bad. Her voice was warm and low, loud enough for the tavern to hear her, but hushed enough that it bore no harshness against his ears.

 _The island of salvation,_

 _Is still a scream away._

 _As the lungs of night blow out the light,_

 _My heart kneels down to pray._

A smile was slowly growing across the girl's rosy lips as a few of the men in the front began to clap along with the music.

 _Oh Lord, why did you take her?_

 _She meant so much to me._

 _Now, I'm a wretched soul on a privateer,_

 _Drowning out at sea._

 _I'm killing and I'm drinking_

 _My blue heart to black,_

 _And I swear oh, Lord, I'll never sin again,_

 _If you bring her back!_

Kili had to admit, it was a bit funny hearing such a wee lass as the girl was, singing this song, written for wizened old sailors to sing. The girl wasn't shying form it though. She seemed quite comfortable, leaning back on both of her hands, her feet swinging, a smug smirk on her lips, lethargic as a cat, as her voice filled the room.

 _Gypsy was a siren,_

 _Dripping with desire._

 _Her moonless hair, and skin so fair,_

 _As warm as frozen fire._

Her tongue practically caressed these words as they left her lips, and Kili could have sworn her eyes met his for just a second as they scrolled about the room. From there out, Kili hardly paid any attention to the song, instead focusing on this increasingly more fascinating girl. The neckline of her loose tunic had slid low on her shoulders, revealing a measure of pale skin and delicate collarbones, marred only by a single scar near the base of the right side of her neck. Her hair was long and wildly wavy, falling in dark brown and gold curls down to the bar top she sat on. Her slender fingers tapped along with the melody of the song, matching the beat of her boots, kicking back into the bar like a drum.

Kili was startled out of his fascinated daze as her gaze met his again, this time lingering for half a moment, before she moved on. Kili felt a thrill go up his spine, like a shiver, and a smile tugged at his mouth.

 _Press gang filled this Man-o-War,_

 _To make the black mouthed cannon roar._

 _Now all my trade is ball and blade,_

 _And blood forever more._

 _And the sting of salt and spray,_

 _The ocean's howl and squall,_

 _A stumbling wreck, I roam the deck,_

 _At the devil's beck and call..._

 _At the devil's beck and call..._

The rest of the tavern joined in for the final round of the chorus, but Kili stayed silent, watching the girl with a smile. She was just...fascinating. Everything about her, it seemed.

Fili launched into the last few reels of the melody, and at last, the last few plucked notes on the lute sang out. The tavern burst into either applause, or another drunken howling of the chorus (Bofur opted to join in that). Kili offhandedly clapped for a moment, but kept his gaze fixed on the girl. He wouldn't be letting her go.

He found himself almost drawn to his feet as she slipped out of the front of the tavern shrugging off comments or catcalls as she went. She made a beeline for the back of the tavern, slipping out of the open door and into the darkness beyond. Kili swore, and redoubled his efforts, trying to shove faster through the crowd that had just gotten to their feet.

By the time he made it to the door, he had worked up a bit of a sweat, and was almost positive that the girl was long gone. His luck seemed to hold though, as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the night outside. This door wasn't an exit, rather a small outcropping dock, railed on every side, looking out across the dark shimmering of the bay. The girl was the only one out there, leaning against the rail facing out to the bay, the wind playing its fingers through her hair, and tugging at the breezy white fabric of her shirt.

Her back was to him, and she'd made no sign of noticing him there, so Kili smoothed a hand through his hair, tugging open the collar of his shirt to show _just_ enough to make most girls weak-kneed, and sauntered out of the doorway. "Gd'evening."

"Evening," she replied softly, her voice washing warm and low over his ears.

Kili made his way over to her side, leaning onto the rail just a few feet from her, letting a smile fall onto his lips. She glanced up to him for a moment, but quickly returned her gaze to the water, seeming to stifle a smile in return.

"Is it?"

This made her look at him a bit longer, though now it was in confusion. Kili hurried to explain. "Your evening, and it's...goodness, that is."

A soft chuckle shook her frame, but she answered, turning her gaze away from him again. "Aye. Well enough."

"Good," Kili sighed. "That was my brother, you know. The one with the fiddle."

"Oh?" the girl prompted, lifting a brow.

"Aye," Kili confirmed. "I play too, actually. My fiddle's just currently...out of action."

"I see," the girl said with a slow nod.

With no other formalities to exchange, Kili said what he'd meant to say since the moment he'd first thought to speak to her. "That was a pretty shanty you sung in there."

"I'm glad you approve," the girl said flatly, though Kili felt there was some amusement touching her tone. "Don't know how I would have lived without your approval."

"Although," Kili began, ignoring that bit of sarcasm. "Not sure you should be the one singing it."

This got a reaction from her. She stiffened slightly, turning to look up at him, her body finally facing his properly, though she was still draped against the rail. "Excuse me?"

Kili shot her his most charming grin, happy to have finally gotten a bit of a rise out of her. "It's just, if anything, it seems that song would be _about_ you."

She lifted a brow, though a smirk started to play across her lips. "Is that so?"

"Aye," Kili breathed, letting his eyes skim graciously over her lithe form for a moment before leaning a bit closer and continuing. "A siren, dripping with desire..." Kili let those words roll off of his lips, his gaze locking onto hers. He could practically feel her being drawn into him, their breaths mixing and swirling together in the cool, breezy air between them.

"Moonless hair," as he said those words Kili let one of his hands drift up, his fingertips skimming over the hair at her ears. He couldn't help but smirk at the shiver she tried to suppress at his touch. "Skin so fair..."

Before he could trail a touch over the delicately pale skin at her cheek, her hand had darted up from her side, taking a firm grasp to stop his wrist. "Warm as frozen fire," she finished, finality in her tone, edged with something hot and dark despite the fact that she was pushing him away.

Kili let a smirk slide onto his face, as he made no effort to free his wrist from her cool grip, simply using this to edge a tad closer to her. "So? Even the most frozen of fires can be thawed."

Her eyes widened fractionally at that, though she regained her composure in an instant, her gaze not leaving his. "Is that so?"

"They just need another fire," Kili drawled, his voice hardly louder than a breath, filling the space between them with heat.

She dropped his wrist quite suddenly, and it felt almost like a physical loss as her eyes broke from his. Just like that, she was gone. "I ought to go."

"Darling-"

She smiled slightly, almost sadly at him as she stepped away, leaving a rush of cool air in her place. "Good evening, master..."

"Kili," he quickly filled in. "Well, Killian, but-just Kili."

"Good evening, Master Kili," the girl said, sweeping him a gracious nod.

Just before she turned for the door, Kili spoke. "And you?"

She turned back on her heel, raising a brow. "Hmm?"

"By what should I remember you?"

The girl's eyes searched his for a long moment, before she admitted, "Gwen."

Kili sighed. Gwen. "Good night then, Lady Gwen."

"Goodnight, Master Kili."

* * *

 _ **Pirates though. Alright, technically they weren't really "pirating" at all here, but I think it still counts. Plus, there may be a sequel. Because honestly, pirates are just cool.**_

 _ **The song was "Lovers Wreck" by Gaelic Storm, and it's a ton of fun, so you should go look it up and listen to it. Now. Thanks for faves/follows and reviews! I love all of you in the creepiest way possible!**_

 _ **Don't forget to leave a review if you have any thoughts/ideas/suggestions. I'm up for anything. Until next week!**_

 _ **NEXT CHAPTER:**_

 **No Changing Fact**

Every scar has a story. Some honorable, some filled with sadness, but some...some are only regret.

Angst/Family - Words: 1,330 - Harsoen, Gwen


	5. No Changing Fact

_**I own nothing. Well, actually here, I do own stuff, because, y'know, OC centric chapter. Sorrrry**_

 _ **WARNING: Blood, a bit of violence. Also, possible self-harm trigger. Read with caution.**_

* * *

 **NO CHANGING FACT**

Harsoen didn't want to have to worry about the brat. With Mallyn gone on a trip to her sister, it was up to him to make sure the brat was fed, watered and clothed. If he'd wanted a pet, he'd have a hunting dog, to actually do him and the home some good. Instead, he got a strange girl with pointy ears, that apparently _wasn't_ an elf, as much as she looked like one of the pixies. And here he was, rapping his fist against her closed door. He really wasn't cut out to be a father. Maybe in another thirty years, when he was too old to do anything else, but now..."Glory. Open up."

There was silence in response, and Harsoen rolled his eyes. "If you're in there, and you know at all what's good for you, you'll open the door."

Then, very muffled, he heard, "Go away."

Harsoen had to grit his teeth against anger. "Bite your tongue. This is my home, and you don't have any place to be telling me what to do in it."

That said, he lifted the latch of the door. However, it didn't swing open. He breathed out a curse, kicking at the bottom of the door. It didn't budge, and he only succeeded in stubbing every toe on his foot. He knew this room (their small pantry, technically) didn't lock from the inside. The brat must have braced it. Now what did she need to do that for?

"Go away!" the girl repeated, her voice now reaching an almost panicked shriek.

"You have ten seconds to unbar the door before I break it down myself and give you a lashing you'll wish you could forget."

Harsoen was tremble with anger. So just because Mallyn was gone, the brat could act out? Not without punishment. She needed to understand that his word was law, or they would be having a serious problem here.

"No!"

"Ten...nine..."

"You won't do it!"

He had to grit his teeth, continuing the countdown. "Eight...seven..."

"No, no, no! Stop it!"

"Six...five.."

"Please! Stay out! Please, I'll do anything!"

Ah, a different approach. Now she was just a pathetic brat instead of an irritating one. "Four...three.."

"No!"

With her last screamed protest, Harsoen decided he'd quite had enough, and the door was swinging on its hinges with one good hit from his solid shoulder.

The light in the pantry was dim, and it took him a moment for his eyes to adjust. And once they had, astonishment mixed with his rage. The girl sat hunched in the corner, her knees pulled up to her chest. He cheeks were streaked messily with tears and snot, her large watery eyes staring up at him horrified. But the really striking detail was the dark liquid dripping over her hands where they clutched at her ears. Harsoen strode a few more steps ahead to get a clearer view, and looked down to see one of the kitchen knives on the dirt floor a foot or two from her, also spattered with blood. "What've you done?" he managed to grit out, his hands shaking.

The girl said nothing, frozen in terror.

Harsoen scooped up the knife from the ground, brandishing it towards her. "What's this? What were you doing with this?"

She flinched away from him, curling further into the corner, a sob tearing out of her lips. Harsoen growled in annoyance, kneeling down in front of her, throwing the knife aside. To his disgust, there was now a smear of blood across his palm. "Where's the blood from?"

She cowered further from his demands, hiding her face in her knees, her tiny, bloody hands still clutching fiercely onto the sides of her head. That would have to end. He was able to encircle her wrists entirely in his hands, and as soon as he'd touched her she threw even more of a fit, squirming about, kicking her legs at him, all the while, screaming like a banshee. He pinned her flailing legs down with a shin, before wrenching her hands away from her head. He could have sworn he felt her hair rip some, but paid no mind to it, in favor of inspecting what he'd uncovered. The low light only allowed him to see that there was blood running all down her neck, coating her ears, the darkest at their very top. "What is this?" he prodded, tone shaking with constraint to keep from shouting at her again.

The girl shook her head frantically, trying to tear her hands free as she sobbed hysterically, eyes so wide he could see their whites all the way around.

An instant later, he released her wrists, to send the back of his hand cracking across her cheek. She froze, one last gasping scream choking out of her lips. Harsoen spoke low, though his tone was laced with fury. "What were you doing?"

After a moment she shook out of her daze a bit, her hands reaching back up for her ears as she trembled violently under his gaze, but he grabbed her wrists, shoving them back into her lap. "No. Speak."

"I...I don't..."

"Don't stutter," Harsoen growled.

Her lower lip began to tremble again, tears welling in her dark eyes. "I don't...don't know."

"Liar," he hissed, reaching out to grab her chin as she tried to hide her face. "Speak clearly, and tell me why in the name of the sweet Valar you've done this to yourself."

She stared up at him, tears trickling down swollen, bloodied cheeks, no sound coming from her mouth.

" _Now."_

The warning in his tone seemed to terrify her enough that words came spilling out of her mouth. "I hate them...I _hate_ them, and I wanted them _gone_. Mama and Ada and Kallyn, they're all gone and they always hate me no matter what I do, and I just wanted to be _normal_ and I thought—I thought that if I could make them just like yours or Mallyn's or Kallyn's or Mama's it would all get better and my heart would stop hurting so horribly. But it didn't work! It just hurt and there was blood everywhere and it hurts _so_ bad-"

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Harsoen deadpanned. She thought that cutting off her pointy ears would make it all better? That that could bring her parents back? "Your ears don't change anything. Whether you've got them on your skull or you've got a bloody stump in their place, that won't change anything. Your mum and da will still be dead, and you'll still be stuck with me."

She seemed stunned out of words, and he released her chin. "You're even more daft then I thought. Your ears? That's bloody stupid..."

"I just wanted to be normal..." she said in a nearly unheard tone.

"Well you're not," he reminded her sharply. "And your ears don't change that. So you'd better wise up, or you'll end up deaf as a doornail, then dead as one. Y'hear?"

A slow nod was all he got in response, and he sighed, the rage leaving his body. "Stupid..." As much as he wanted to, he couldn't leave the brat here to drown in a puddle of her own stupidity. Mallyn would throw a fit.

It was another hour before he was finished. He'd cleaned and sewed up the girl's ears as best he could. One had gone back together pretty well, but she'd hacked a good chunk out of the other. It was likely that she'd be left with the scars of this event into her adulthood. Maybe it would keep her from doing anything so stupidly thoughtless again. He scoffed as he placed her sleeping body down into her cot. If she didn't get smarter she'd be dead. No detriment to him. Just a bit of screaming, then gone. But it would be terribly quiet without her…

Harsoen shivered tremendously, shaking his head to knock those borderline _fond_ thoughts from his head.

This girl was a burden. A lonely, sad, and broken burden. But it wouldn't very well do her any good to be a deaf one as well. She'd have to learn that things like that don't just get _better_ with the nick of a knife. Some things just were bad, and you had to deal with them. He'd learned that and so would she. Or she'd just die.

He shook his head as he left to go wash her blood off of him. He really wasn't cut out to be a father.

* * *

 _ **Alright. This was a bit weird, I admit. I wrote it half-a-forever ago, when this had just popped into my head, so…yep. I am starting to run out of already written stuff to post here, so if you have any ideas or requests, I would be overjoyed to hear them! (Next chapter's going to be quite a bit more Kili-centric, I promise.) Review!**_

 _ **NEXT CHAPTER: Autumn Nights**_


	6. Autumn Evenings

_**If I do own anything, it's Gwen, and the AUness of this chapter. Please do not sue.**_

* * *

 **AUTUMN EVENINGS**

"It's definitely a date."

Kili rolled his eyes, thumping his head back against the seat's headrest, letting out a slight groan. "Would you shut up? It isn't a date."

"That's not what everyone one else thinks."

"It _is,"_ Kili insisted. "I didn't even invite her!"

"Yes," Fili admitted. "But I invited her _for_ you."

"That doesn't count," Kili sighed.

"Ah!" Fili cried out, sparing a glance away from the road to shoot a grin over at Kili. "That's definitely disappointment I hear in your voice!"

"No, it's—"

"Admit it, you're jealous that _I_ asked her instead of _you_!"

Kili grit his teeth hard. "That's not—"

"If only you'd been a minute faster, tonight—"

"Shut _up!"_ Kili finally got in, slamming his head back even more savagely against his headrest.

This did silence his brother, but didn't keep him from sending a mischievous, somewhat smug smirk in his direction. Kili gave a roll of his eyes. "With the way you're insisting on this, it kind of sounds like you wish she was on a date with _you."_

Fili snorted, easing the car around another turn, this time on to a gravel road. "Nah. Gwen's too…weird. You can have her."

"Thaaaaanks," Kili drawled, not holding back on the sarcasm. "Leave me with the weird ones."

"You _like_ the weird ones," Fili insisted. "Always have."

"Have not," Kili grumbled back, leaning back to peer out the window, eyes glazing over the heavily shadowed forest flickering by.

"Brenda?" Fili suggested.

Kili winced as the memories of that particular…relationship…came flooding back over him. "She was just…unique."

"Weird," Fili corrected. "She was weird."

"Yeah," Kili admitted with a sigh. "She was kind of weird."

"So, you see, it's perfect that you and Gwen are finally going out, because now—"

"We are not _going out!"_

Fili broke out chuckling at his outburst, as they pulled into the field serving the fair as a parking lot. "Not with that attitude, you're not!"

"Not with any attitude," Kili shot back. There was a lull of silence, where Fili scanned the lot for an open parking space, where Kili found it fit to continue his protest. "Alright then, why don't you tell me, in what _possible way_ , is this a date?"

"Well," Fili seemed to struggle for a moment, before coming out with, "You're male. And she's female."

"At least, that's what we assume," Kili grumbled.

"And there is _obviously_ romantic tension between you two…"

"Yeah," Kili snorted. "Sure. Do you remember the first time I tried to make move on her?"

" _And,"_ Fili began, with a clear of his throat.

Kili wouldn't let him have that though, answering his own question. "She threw a _cactus._ A literal freaking _cactus,_ Fee."

"And it's going to be the two of you, spending an afternoon at a _fall festival._ Tons of couples do that."

"Yes, and tons of couples drive around in cars together," he said with a nod to their surroundings. "And sorry bro, but we're not a couple."

" _And,"_ Fili began, ignoring his remarks as he put the car into park. "Look at her. She's all dressed up."

Kili glanced up to see Gwen leaning against the hood of her parked car, flicking through her phone. She was dressed in a ratty pair of jeans, worn down to threads in some places, her old converse, and her familiar leather jacket over a red hoodie. "All dressed up?" Kili repeated. "That's quite actually what she wears every day."

"She might have brushed her hair though…"

Kili eyed her mane of dark hair, curling strands of it being tugged and carried out by the breeze. "Really?"

"Well, no," Fili admitted. "Maybe not."

"Then it is not a date," Kili finished, before throwing open the door to the car, and climbing out.

The brisk air hit his skin nicely, carrying the smell of sunlight and leaves. It really was a beautiful afternoon. "Fancy meeting you here," he called out to Gwen, jogging a bit closer to her.

She glanced up from her phone, and Kili's breath may have gotten knocked out of his chest just a _bit._ It was almost a picture-perfect moment. Her hair was being ruffled gently by the breeze, strands of it dragging over her cheeks, lit up warm by the autumn sun, beginning to sink in the sky. The best thing was the little spark that lit her gaze, the hardly noticeable smile that tried to quirk at her lips. "Is that so?"

Kili shrugged, not able to keep a grin off of his face as he neared her. "Well enough."

Gwen rolled her eyes (though it certainly seemed that she was straining harder to bury a smile) and glanced over Kili's shoulder, speaking to Fili, who had just locked the car and was making his way over. "Any of the others here yet?"

"Not that I see," Fili replied. "We should check inside though. I doubt any of them will have told me if they had gotten here."

In a moment, they were off, strolling through rows of cars. Kili found himself a step or two ahead of Gwen and Fili as Gwen spoke up. "You didn't mention if Thorin was coming."

"He's not," Fili replied.

Gwen huffed out a slight sigh of relief. "Thank the Lord."

"He's really not that bad, you know," Fili sighed.

"I know he's not," Gwen said back matter-of-factly. "But he's pretty bad to me."

"Snarky, maybe," Fili relented. "Or a bit over-harsh, but you just…"

"I get on his nerves," Gwen finished, tone edged with a tad of annoyance. "Just like he gets on mine. Which is why I see it best for us to just keep our distance."

There was a long pause, as if Fili was trying to summon up something to say in reply to that, but he surrendered. "Fine."

Kili tried not to frown. It was an oddity, how Thorin and Gwen clashed so very much. Or maybe it wasn't an oddity. It was, at least, very unfortunate. He'd heard that they used to at least tolerate each other, and now it was barely even that.

He was distracted from these thoughts as they neared the top of the hill, their destination rising into view. Considering the time of year, the festival grounds were fairly busy, bubbling with movement, even up to the lines outside of the entrance. The air was heavy with the thick smell of fried food, popcorn, caramel, and a whole myriad of other pleasant food-like smells. A smile set itself quite determinedly on Kili's face. This was going to be a good day.

* * *

"Aren't you going to give it a go, love?" Kili asked, handing off the gun to Ori, who stared at it like it was some alien creature in his hands.

He ignored Fili's smirk at the thing he'd called her in favor of registering Gwen's reaction as she shrugged, jamming her hands a bit deeper into her pockets. "Not sure if that's a wise idea, Durin."

"I think it quite wise," Kili shot back. "You can't be _that_ terrible."

Gwen lifted a brow. "Oh?"

"She can be," Fili said, jumping into the conversation at Gwen's shoulder. "She is, actually."

"Oh, thanks, Fili," Gwen drawled, sarcasm dripping from her tone.

"But," Fili continued with a slight smirk in Kili's direction. "I'm sure she'd work it out with a little bit of help."

"Why don't you help her then?" Kili asked, completely nonplussed.

"I think you'd be better at it," Fili shot back, a warning look in his eyes.

"No," Kili corrected. "You suggested it, why don't you help her?"

"Because," Fili gritted out. " _You_ are the one here who wants to help her."

"Really? Because it sort of seems like that's you right now."

Gwen, who had since then, watched this argument proceed, looking faintly bemused, spoke up. "You know, I don't think she really wants help."

"Of course she does!" Fili cried. "She can't hit a target to save her life!"

"And why would she need to hit a target to save her life?" Gwen asked, tone dry.

Fili went a bit speechless, glancing from Kili to Gwen, then back. "Bloody _hell,"_ he muttered before latching onto Kili's sleeve, towing him a few yards away, out of earshot of Gwen, who merely looked a bit confused and exasperated. Kili gave her a slight shrug, to acknowledge his matching confusion before Fili began hissing at him, "I am giving you chances here, brother. I am being the best _damned_ wingman that this world has ever—"

"Wingman!?" Kili barked out a laugh in disbelief. "Why in bloody hell would I need a _wingman_? And you as one, least of all."

"Because, it's killing us! You and Gwen, you _obviously_ like each other, at least a little bit, and you're doing _nothing_ about it!"

"Us?" Kili repeated. "Who's us?"

Fili flushed a little, and Kili could tell he searched his thoughts a little, before gesturing loosely to their surroundings. "You know, _us!"_

Kili rolled his eyes. "Fee, I appreciate the effort. But do you really think that I couldn't have Gwen if I really wanted her?"

"I don't know!" Fili spat back. "You obviously haven't had any success so far, though!"

"I haven't _wanted_ to have success!" Kili huffed, feeling himself to begin getting annoyed. His brother could be an irritating little prick.

"Really?"

"Really!" Kili nearly shouted back, drawing a few glances from passerby's.

The moment settled to silence, both brothers trying somewhat to glare the other one down. Finally, Fili broke, letting out a loud huff. "Fine."

"Fine," Kili repeated, not sure what else to say.

"I…I guess that's the end of that."

Kili could tell Fili didn't want to be finished with it. He nearly rolled his eyes. His brother had the worst habit of sticking his nose where it didn't belong. And then refusing to remove it, even when asked kindly. He was worse than any high school gossip girl Kili had ever found.

"It is," Kili concluded.

With one last huff, Fili marched off, and Kili was left, indulging Gwen's raised brow with yet another shrug.

* * *

It had been a rather full afternoon. Their group had ended up trying their hand at most of the carnival games open at the grounds, with varying degrees of success. They were now stacked down with a menagerie of prizes. Kili himself had won only one major thing, a fairly large pink teddy bear, which he had promptly awarded to his still sulking brother. All he got was the middle finger for his trouble.

After a lovely dinner (harvested from an assortment of the food stalls scattered around the establishment),they had settled down in the area set up with a stage, sprawled out across a stack of hay bales in the gold of the setting sun. Kili was quite comfortable, having settled himself on the ground beside Gwen, who was sat on a hay bale, leaning his back against her legs. Kili had vigilantly ignored Fili's suggestive, somewhat accusatory glances, in favor of closing his eyes, losing himself in the feeling of Gwen's fingertips carding listlessly through the tangles of his hair.

The music was reasonably terrible. Something strummy on a guitar, with singing that could hardly _really_ be called singing, outside of the technical sense. Still, it filled the silence, as their cozy group chatted about nothing particularly important. As the others engaged into a rather heated argument on the particular naming of the goldfish Ori had won earlier, Kili tilted his head back, cracking open an eye to peer up at Gwen. "You could do better," He said, in reference to the music.

Gwen snorted ungracefully, a smirk tugging at her lips as she gently ran her fingernails along his scalp. "I could, yes. I won't, though."

"Aw," Kili whined, perhaps pouting a bit. "I haven't heard you sing in forever, though."

"That's because I don't sing, Kee."

"Do too," Kili shot back, leaning into her fingers as she trailed them over his ear. "Just not too often."

"Yeah," She agreed, tilting her head as she smiled softly down at him. "What about it?"

Kili was kept from replying by Bofur, who stood up, clearing his throat before nearly shouting, "Oi, time to get up, you sods, we've got to get in line, before it gets too crowded."

Kili groaned slightly, but started hauling himself up. Gwen stopped him with a frown. "What? What's this?"

"Right," Kili said, at last getting his feet under him. "You haven't been to this one before. They have a killer hay-ride. We go on as a group every year."

Something changed in Gwen's expression, as she shifted a bit uncomfortably. "Getting a bit dark…"

"Course it is,' Kili snorted. "It wouldn't be much scary without it being dark."

Ori interrupted. "I think I will be staying behind this time, to stay with Zoloto."

Gwen leapt on the opportunity. "I'll keep you company, Ori."

"No, you won't," Kili corrected her, lifting a brow. "You're coming with us."

Gwen slumped a little, her tone becoming slightly pleading. "Kili—"

He didn't let her finish, grabbing onto her arm, dragging her up onto her feet. "Come on, the others are leaving."

"I don't _want_ to go," Gwen insisted, tugging her arm free from him.

"Don't worry," Fili chirped at Gwen, ignoring Kili a bit. "It's not that scary, really."

"I'm not _scared,"_ Gwen hissed, backing up a bit. "I just don't _want to,_ alright?"

"Oh, come _on,"_ Kili insisted, placing a hand on her lower back to ease her towards where the group was filing out to find the line for the hay-ride. "It'll be the lot of us, on a tractor in the dark, what's to be worried about that?"

"A lot," Gwen mumbled, though she let herself be towed along by Kili's touch.

Kili knocked his shoulder over into hers, giving a roll of his eyes. "Oh how bad could it be?"

Gwen didn't reply, glancing a bit hopelessly over her shoulder, before clutching her jacket tighter around herself, and submitting to her fate.

* * *

It was quite thoroughly dark by the time they got to go through a run of the hay-ride. But there they were, just like every other year, seated around the edges of the tractor bed on hay bales, stewing there in nervous sort of anticipation. This year, of course, there was the addition of Gwen, squeezed into the spot beside Kili, her shoulders visibly tense as the engine idled softly in the background.

Fili caught Kili's eye across the circle, glancing down at the nearly non-existent space between him and Gwen, before glancing back up to Kili. Kili had to wonder if there was any way to give his brother the middle finger without Gwen taking note. He was distracted from this, however, as the tractor jolted a bit beneath him. The murmurs of excitement started around the vehicle, as they usually did, though kept hush enough as to not ruin the eerie atmosphere that curled all around them. Kili felt Gwen tense a little more beside him, and he leaned in to her, murmuring into her ear, "a bit scared there, love?"

"Shut up."

Kili chuckled slightly. "I'm here if you need me, you know."

"Oh, shut the _hell_ up, Durin," Gwen repeated, shouldering him slightly.

A bit more of a laugh shook him, though he backed off a bit, as the tractor began rolling down the trail slowly. "Alright, alright."

The path lead them into a corn field, it seemed, and soon stalks towered over them on either side. The tension was practically tangible, the only sound the crunch of wheels on gravel, the engine, and the breath of the wind through the plants around them. The first scarecrow along the path managed to startle Kili a bit, although that could mostly be attributed to the mood of tension that the group upheld. Kili glanced down to see Gwen's eyes, wide, caught directly on the thing, strung up on the side of the path, as if she didn't want to let it out of her sight.

They rolled past it without incidence, though, and then another scarecrow or two, all of them leering ominously down at them in the tractor bed. Gwen nearly jumped two feet in the air as a broken stalk of corn brushed along her shoulders. Kili found himself chuckling again at her fright. Scairt as a mouse, it seemed. He leaned in a bit. "Going to admit that scared you a bit?"

"I will gut you," Gwen said, almost absently, shivering as a chill wind cut through them. Her eyes were dead focused on the path rolling by on the other side, her shoulders screaming tension.

The dark shadow of another grotesquely hung up scarecrow came into view, and something seemed…off. Kili took note of this, though he said nothing, feeling the familiar sensation of fear creeping across his skin almost deliciously, as they neared this "scarecrow."

He only grew more tense as the front of the truck passed by it. This proved an entirely founded wariness as he craned his neck a bit to see behind him. A twitch of movement, unlike that which the wind would cause, alerted him a heartbeat before a blood-curdling shriek tore out of the thing, its spiny, clambering hands, reaching out, grazing the back of Gwen's shoulder blades.

Her screeched yelp of terror nearly startled him more than the scare-gag itself. Almost instantly, he felt her weight crush into him, His mouth somehow filling with her hair. The stunt had managed to spook the whole tractor, as the "scarecrow" continued grasping and howling at the others as they rolled past.

Kili, however, hardly had time to contemplate that fright, as he felt Gwen's hands curl into the fabric of his shirt, trembling. Kili breathed out a sigh, calming his suddenly frayed nerves enough to slide an arm around her back, tucking his chin over her head. Alright. So she was actually frightened. Her trembling only confirmed this, as well as the fact that it seemed she refused to disentangle herself from him now.

Perhaps he felt a _bit_ guilty about having dragged her onto the thing at that point.

When the next scare happened, in the form of masked creeper with a chainsaw leaping from the brush, Kili secured his grip around Gwen's waist a bit tighter, feeling her jerk in alarm at the sudden wild laughter and machinery. "It's alright, love," He murmured, this time no sort of joking in his tone.

* * *

So, it hadn't been the best idea, dragging Gwen onto the hay-ride of horror. She'd spent the entire thing buried into his chest and his shirt was likely to be permanently wrinkled by her hands, keeping him held to her in an iron grip.

Kili had entirely ignored his brother's questioning and sometimes suggestive glances as Gwen remained tucked into his side, even after they crawled, the lot of them giddy with nervous energy, off of the tractor bed. It hadn't been a bad scare. Surely, they'd had better years, but he still had the thrill of adrenaline pumping through him.

To his dismay, Gwen had excused herself fairly quickly, dismissing his (and even Fili's) apologies, insisting that she didn't want to stay for the bonfire. Kili couldn't help but think that that was his fault. Now, he sipped a plastic cup of cider, watching as the bonfire slowly built higher and higher. He sat in somewhat tense silence with his brother, who evidently was still determined to keep up their tiny tiff from earlier.

Kili's slight stupor was broken by his phone, breaking out buzzing in his pocket. He fumbled to get it out, shoving his cup of cider off to Fili as he saw the caller ID. "It's her."

Fili took the cup, concern immediately tingeing his demeanor as he swore. "Is she alright?"

"Don't know," Kili answered, before striding a good distance from the fire and celebration, sliding to pick up the call. "Gwen?"

"Hey."

Her voice sounded a bit faint. Immediately, Kili's pulse picked up a quick beat, his fingers clenching hard onto his phone.

"Gwen? Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she assured him with a sigh. "I'm fine. Just…"

"What's wrong, love?" Kili prompted, finding a fence to prop himself up against as he leaned into his phone.

"Just…Still a little psyched out, I guess. And it's really dark out here."

Kili swore. There was a good fifteen minutes of winding forest roads before you got to a main road, with this festival. "Are you gonna be alright driving?"

"Yeah," she breathed. "I think so. I…I have you on speaker, could you just keep talking to me until I'm onto the main road?"

"Of course," Kili sighed, melting a bit in relief. She was okay. "What do you want me to talk about?"

"Don't care," she replied shortly. "Just talk."

"Alright," Kili breathed, trying to get his thoughts together. "You remember the first time we met?"

"Yeah. There was a cactus, unless I'm mistaken."

"There was. It took me a full hour to get all those spines out, you know."

"You were being a hopeless flirt. What else was I supposed to do?"

"Just say no?" Kili suggested. "You know, with your voice, and not a hostile desert plant."

"Would that have worked though?"

"No."

They talked like that for a good quarter of an hour, before Gwen interrupted him, in the middle of a rant on first impressions (and how a cactus was not a good one). "Oi, Kili?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm back on to the main road."

"Oh," Kili sucked in a breath, feeling a tug of disappointment in his gut. It was a comforting thing, to have the sound of Gwen's stifled chuckle ringing through his ears, even through a phone. "You're alright then?"

"Think so."

"Are you sure?"

The sound of that half-laugh he enjoyed so very much played, putting a smile onto his lips. "Yes, Kee, thank you. You've done your job of distraction very well."

"I like to think I'm quite good at it, anyway."

"No, but really, Kee," Gwen began. "Thank you. For today. I had a lot of fun."

"So did I," Kili said, smiling softly at nothing in particular.

"Goodnight."

"Night, love. Call me without hesitating if you need me again, yeah?"

"You know I will."

With that assurance, the line went blank.

A deep sigh rushed out of him as he lowered the phone from his ear. There he was, smiling like a fool at his bloody _cellphone._ He was in it deep. Really freaking deep.

He went back the bonfire, to Fili's side almost hesitantly. Fili seemed to have warmed up to him a bit more, holding out Kili's drink, a look of concern lighting his face. "Everything alright?"

"It is now," Kili explained with a shrug. He sat heavily, staring down at the amber liquid swirling in his cup. "Fee, I'm screwed."

"I know," Fili snorted. He raised his glass in a toast though, saying, "To you, that That this does _not_ end up being another Brenda."

"Amen," Kili huffed, his heart aching with memories of Gwen's smile as he tapped his drink against Fili's. It burned going down his throat.

* * *

 _ **Ha…haha…how about we just pretend that I had this finished before 1 in the morning last night…procrastination, yo…(Hey, almost 4000 words it one night, that's not bad though...)But I really wanted to do something special for Halloween and autumn in general, and I was really excited about this idea, so I hope you liked it! I may expand on this universe in the future with a bit more of a multichap setting, though I doubt it'll turn into a full story.**_

 _ **A quick note, I will not be updating this next week. I am getting behind on my writing of my actual multi-chap and the last thing I want is writing quality to fall too much, so I won't be updating until next-**_ **next** _ **Friday. Thanks for understanding!**_

 _ **Reviews make the stress and annoyance and headaches worth it! I love you all!**_


	7. Suppressed Memories

_**Do not own anything that Tolkien or Peter Jackson do.**_

* * *

 **SUPRESSED MEMORIES**

The world filtered back in with an almost agonizing sluggishness.

First, her feeling of touch. The cool touch of finely woven linen against her tender skin. Her fingertips, trailing into the thick silky tresses of her hair. Sunlight, dappling golden and warm across her skin, slowly feeding life back into her.

Then came her sense of smell. The faintly musky, dark scent of wood. The clear, familiar crispness of leaves, carried on a tendril of a breeze.

Slowly, very slowly, her hearing returned to her, bearing with it, silence, unbroken but by occasional barely noticeable footsteps against the wooden floor. Her own breathing was the loudest thing to her, sliding in and out of her throat, hissing slightly as it rushed into her lungs.

At last, her sight faded back. Her eyelids were swirled with pools of darkness, a thin hair of light driving into the middle of this. With some struggle, she tore her eyelids open.

Light poured in, golden and white as any she'd seen, piercing like a needle through her drifting thoughts. Still, she didn't squint or close her eyes again. Rather, she let this light spill into her, filling up the dark recesses that had formed in her heart. Once her eyes had adjusted to the new lightness of the world around her, she flicked her eyes about, trying her best to take in her surroundings.

An uncarved, but worn cut wood ceiling domed above her, stretching down into sparing wood panels around the outside walls of the room. Canvas was stretched over this, practically bursting with light. A chair and a stand were set next to her cot, both empty. The doorway, too, hung empty and open, the flap of it pulled away.

She had barely started on trying out her numb muscles, when a presence appeared beside her. A youthful, delicate face, though strained faintly by the passing of centuries smiled down at her, its gray eyes kind.

"Naliel…" Tauriel's voice came out in a faint croak, and she winced.

The elleth only smiled a bit more, before procuring from beside her, a wooden cup. Without speaking, she slid a hand under Tauriel's head, raising it up fractionally, and lifting the cup to her lips. As the water slid, burning, down Tauriel's throat, Naliel spoke. "Hello, _Mellonin._ It is a relief to me to see you awake."

Tauriel smiled faintly, clearing her hoarse throat a bit before speaking, as Naliel lowered her head back onto the pillow. "It is a relief to see you at all. How long has it been?"

"You've been resting for two days now," Naliel answered smoothly, setting the cup down next to her. "It seems that you shall heal in time."

"Yes," Tauriel replied, a bit absently, as she suddenly became acutely aware of the bandages wrapped about her neck, and the dully throbbing pain that radiated across the better half of her shoulder. "Is there any news of the dwarves?"

"They left this morning," Naliel informed her. "They should be reaching the edge of the forest by nightfall."

Tauriel nodded, ignoring the disappointment that twinged so unexpectedly in her gut. What was there to be disappointed about? She was healthy, they were alright…Suddenly, _his_ smile, that heartbreaking grin flashed across her mind. Ah. There was the cause.

"One visited you this morning," Naliel told her, watching her reaction carefully.

"They did?" Tauriel asked, arching a brow, and smoothly disguising her actual spark of interest.

"Yes."

"Which one?" Tauriel pressed, though she did her best not to seem too curious.

"I do not know his name," Naliel replied, her nose wrinkling slightly. "However, he was the dark haired, tall one, without—"

"—without braids," Tauriel finished, her heart doing a funny, absurd flipping thing in her chest.

"Yes," Naliel confirmed. "So, he was not lying when he said you knew him."

"He was not," Tauriel said. "I knew him…I have known him for a time now."

Naliel nodded slowly, before reaching, a tad hesitantly behind her. "He asked that I give this to you."

Tauriel couldn't help but stare, a tad wide-eyed at the letter resting in Naliel's delicate, hardly calloused fingers. "He did?"

"Indeed."

Tauriel did her best not to tremble as she raised a hand, to take it from the other elleth. "Have you read it?"

"I did not," Naliel said, her tone edged faintly with nervousness. "I wished not to overstep my bounds."

"I thank you for that," Tauriel said, letting a faint smile onto her face as she at last held the letter firmly on her lap.

Naliel nodded to her. "I will give you privacy, now. I do not wish to intrude. I will bring you your meal in a few minutes." Saying that, Naliel swept up to her feet, like the very picture of grace, breezing out of the room.

Then, it was just Tauriel and the letter. It felt almost as if _he_ was alone in the room with her. The letter was heavy in her hand, leaden down with all of its possibilities.

Shaking that nonsense from her head, Tauriel opened the letter, breaking the small wax seal that had been left on it, and unfolding the message with slightly shaking hands. It was written in Westron, which was already a bit of a struggle for her to read, not even minding the young dwarf's atrocious handwriting.

Still, when she was finally able to understand it, Tauriel set to reading.

 _Tauriel,_

 _I don't think it needs to be said that I am sorry. Or maybe it does need to be said. I don't bloody know, alright?_

Even with just that odd, self-contradicting, hastily written line, the strangest sort of tears were springing into her eyes.

* * *

 _ **Aaaaand we get another rush written chapter! I swear, I will actually spend some time on the next one. If you are confused as to what's going on here, go over and read my other story, Break the World. Thanks for reviews and the like! They keep this writer convinced she actually really does love writing.**_

 _ **Next update will be the Friday after next. Seeya!**_


	8. The Joys of Motherhood I

_**The universe and characters belong to Tolkien and Peter Jackson, not I. (Not yet at least!)**_

* * *

 **THE JOYS OF MOTHERHOOD**

Every day, she had found, was a long day when you had two dwarflings to watch, all by yourself. Of course, others would try to help. Dwalin would offer to take them out to the ring. But, what self-respecting mother would let her sixteen and seventeen year old sons be herded off to a _weapons range_ for the day? Balin had, on occasion suggested the little ones spend the evening with him. Of course, considering the dwarf's age, she was unsure that the graying dwarf would really have the patience to deal with her two little rascals. Idna had graciously offered up her home. With her being youthful enough, and quite secure in home with Gloin as her husband, Idna's cottage was indeed, a likely candidate. However she was quite pregnant, a little one on the way any day, so she was off the table.

Now, Dis wasn't totally alone in this battle against her sons. Thorin had a deep fondness for the children, contrary to his usual stony countenance. However, he was often out most of the day at the forges, or at meetings, leaving Dis little time when she wasn't trying to look after the boys.

She'd never let a bit of this show, of course. The last thing she needed was a herd of dwarven women (or Mahal forbid, _Dori)_ fawning over her, trying to console her. It had been bad enough, directly after Kilhon's death. The last thing she needed was that kind of attention again. She was a dwarf of the line of Durin, however female and a widow. At the very least, she could handle herself.

And she could handle her two demon-sons. At least well enough.

A loud crash of wooden furniture broke her out of her slight stupor, and she abruptly dropped her spoon into the pot of stewed cranberries she was stirring in startling. She swore softly, both at her thudding pulse, the fact that her best wooden spoon was now disappeared in a vat of bubbling berries, and the fact that she could hear Kili starting to sob.

Mahal help her.

"Fee! Kee!" She called, ears alert to any further sound coming from the back room as she searched the drawer for another spoon. "What was that?"

"Nothing!" Fili cried back, his already high voice pitchy with nervousness.

Dis heard the beginnings of a wail from her younger son, before Fili snapped, not quite quietly enough, "Quiet, Kee!"

"But—"

"It's not even a bruise! Just stay still!"

With that, Dis had heard enough, and set her new spoon down on the counter hard before hurrying towards the back room. The door was only cracked open, but Dis sighed as she pushed it open all the way. Next to the wardrobe in the corner, a pile of furniture had collapsed, looking to contain a chair, an old work stool, and two battered crates. Underneath the chair, which her older son was trying to lift, her youngest, tears welling in his dark eyes, was trapped between the legs, his lip trembling. Dis huffed a sigh, before stepping further in. "What's this?"

Fili whirled around at the sound of her voice, his eyes shooting absurdly wide as he dropped the stool he was shifting, before leaping in front of his brother, as if to hide him. "It's nothing!"

"Ow!" Kili cried out. "You're stepping on my finger!"

Fili rolled his eyes a bit and stepped to the side an inch. "Oh, stop being a baby—"

By then, Dis had pushed her older son aside and lifted the chair off of Kili, sweeping him easily up into her arms, just as he let out a terribly loud screeching sob. "Hush," She told him, bouncing him slightly on her hip. "You're alright now."

Fili, meanwhile, was staring up at her, the most innocent, sheepish look he could muster pasted across his face.

Dis lifted a brow. "I'm waiting?"

The blonde quickly wilted under her gaze. "I'm so sorry, mum!"

She saw tears starting in his large, still baby blue eyes, and quickly said, "None of that, now. Your brother's got dibs on crying to get out of it."

As if to punctuate this point, Kili let out a pitiful, ragged cry, burying his teary, snotty face into Dis' tunic. She tried not to wince.

Fili dropped the teary act in an instant with a slight roll of his eyes.

"None of that attitude!" Dis quickly corrected it. "I don't have time for this. Tell me what happened so that your uncle will know what kind of punishment to give you tonight."

Genuine fear lit up in Fili's gaze. "Mum, no! You can't"

"I can. And you know you're uncle's not afraid to give you the beating you deserve. Best start talking."

"Fine, alright, okay! We…I'm positive uncle keeps his shield up there, aye? And some of the boys, they were making fun of him. They were saying the stories weren't true! But I said they were, and they said to prove it, and I said that I could, and they said how, so I said I would get uncles oak shield to show them! It would only be for a minute, you see, and I would have put it right back as soon as I was done! But I—"

Dis sighed, patting Kili on the back as his breath shuddered. "It's alright, Fili. Do you promise you won't try that again?"

A sharp, nervous nod.

"Aye, alright. I hold you to that. You clean all of this up then."

As she turned to leave, Kili still resting on her hip, crying a bit more quietly now, Fili said softly, "You won't tell uncle, will you?"

Dis paused for a moment. "No. Not this time."

Now she made her way into the kitchen, sitting herself down on the edge of the hewn table, shifting Kili to rest on her lap. His eyes were still screwed shut, his face a mess of tears and snot, cheeks red, mouth gaping slightly in miserable sobs. "What hurts, love?"

"Fee, he stacked up the chairs, when I know we're not supposed to!" Kili choked out as Dis started cleaning his face with her handkerchief. "I told him, but he wouldn't listen! He just told me to be quiet! And then…And then he s—stepped on my _finger!"_ Kili held up the offended hand a bit viciously, another wave of tears slipping out of his eyes.

Dis lowered the hand to his lap, gently rubbing his tiny fingers in her palms as she jogged him slightly on her leg. "But you're alright now, aren't you?"

Kili looked up to her through tear-separated lashes as if for reassurance. Dis smiled, giving his face one last good wipe down. "Aye, you are, my baby dwarfling."

With that, she slung him back onto her hip, making her way to the stove, where her pot of cranberries was quite likely already burning. "Now, how about you help mum find her favorite spoon…"

* * *

 _ **To be continued….**_

 _ **Heh. I'll update every other week, she said! I'll follow my own update schedule she said! Yeah. I lied. Sorry. My other running story takes precedence over this one…But I thought I'd give you a bit of baby Durin Bros to ease the pain. The next chapter will be a bit of a Christmassy special, leading off of this, so get excited! I love you all, and I thank you for sticking around! Review if you want me to keep what little sanity I have left.**_

 _ **(An update is coming, I swear! I'm going to wait until actual christmas, though.)**_


	9. The Joys of Motherhood II

_**I own none of the characters you see here. Tolkien and Peter Jackson receive all rights**_

 _ **NOTE: this little story is best paired with crackling hearth fires, fuzzy sweaters, the sound of snowstorms (youtube, folks. Just look it up.), and some cozy music. Get ready for some serious freaking fluff.**_

* * *

The day was drawing to a quiet close. Her sons had finally calmed down a bit for once after the earlier incident, and now Fili was at work doing the reading Balin had given him, his tiny brow scrunched in concentration, lips moving to sound out the words he pored over. Kili was away in Dis' room, likely with wooden blocks and trinkets scattered all across the floor. At least the boy was quiet. Dis had managed to get a good bit of work done. She finished her stewed cranberries, and had carefully jarred them, and had started supper broiling away over the fire, bread sliced to be toasted right before their dinner.

She had seated herself in the hewn rocking chair next to the blazing fire, patching a torn pair of Fili's trousers. The boy had a terrible habit of wearing all sorts of holes in the knees of any clothes he wore. Dis found herself sewing patches into his clothing at least once every fortnight.

Heavy footsteps fell into earshot, crunching against the ground, and Dis didn't even bother to look up from her work as Thorin unlatched the door without so much as a knock, throwing it open. A gust of cold air rushed in, sending the fire shuddering, and a flustering cloud of snowflakes followed her brother in as he slammed the door closed.

Dis barely had the chance to exchange a smile with Thorin before the boys shot out of their respective hiding places, practically throwing themselves at the bundled-up dwarf. Fili immediately began tugging at Thorin's sleeve, while Kili latched onto his arm, crawling up him. "Uncle," Fili began, voiced laced with excitement. "Is it snowing already?"

"Aye," Thorin said to the young dwarf, whose eyes grew even larger in excitement.

"I'm getting my coat!" Fili shouted as he tore away into the other room.

Kili, who Thorin had just properly scooped up into his arms, began squirming. "Snow! Put me down uncle!"

"Alright, alright," Thorin grumbled, easing Kili towards the ground. "But before you go out—"He was forced to stop as Kili bolted for the door, only stopped by Thorin's grip on the back of his tunic. "Put a _coat_ on," Thorin finished with a sigh.

"And some boots," Dis added as Kili ran, giggling for the door Fili had disappeared behind.

Dis gave her brother a half smile, standing to tend to their dinner cooking on the stove as he dropped with a sigh into one of the chairs around the table. "The first snow," Dis observed. "And it's not even midwinter."

Thorin let out another sigh, shaking his head as he unhooked his frost-coated cloak from around his neck. "This isn't some flurry, either. If the winter continues like this, there could be trouble."

"We had a good harvest," Dis said, trying, somewhat, to comfort her brother, even though she knew it to be futile.

"We had a good harvest last year as well," Thorin replied, tone wrought with hidden tension. "And how many died at winter's come despite that?"

"That wasn't because of the winter though, or because we hadn't stored enough," Dis argued back, raising a hand to massage her temples. Her brother had the horrible habit of making everything seem like it was his fault. "You know that there was a sickness. You can't help that."

"I could have kept them well fed and strong."

"How?" Dis asked. "Make the rain fall harder? Make the soil become richer?" She shook her head against the stubbornness of the Durin family. "Thorin, there are many things you are capable of controlling, the growth patterns of our fields are not one of these things."

"Then—"

Thorin fell silent, wiping the dark expression off of his face as the boys hurtled out of the back room, laughing. "Last one out the door's an elf!" Fili shouted as he streaked by, coat half undone, scarf slung over one shoulder.

Kili limped after him with only one boot on, stopping a moment to shoot a "Come _on_ , uncle!" at Thorin before he darted out the open door behind his brother.

Dis chuckled slightly, shaking her head as the mood lifted a bit. The first snow of the coming winter wasn't all bad, she supposed.

"That's my call then," Thorin sighed, hauling himself to his feet, pulling his gloves back on his hands.

"Send them in if they get cold," Dis told him. "I'll have supper ready."

A peal of high-pitched laughter rang I from outside and with one last nod to his sister, Thorin was out the door.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set across the opaque, white sky and the snow wasn't letting up. There was already a solid three or four inches of it stacked up on the ground. The boys had taken full advantage of this, scraping it all together to make a sizeable snow-dwarf on the top of the bluff. It was good, seeing Thorin, Fili, and Kili all working together on this project. The last winter, Kili had been to young and small to stay out in the cold for too long. Dis had sat many nights, comforting her child, crying at having been left out of the fun his uncle and brother were having.

Now, she leaned against the bannister of their small porch, clutching a shawl Idna had knit for her last midwinter around her shoulders, watching the snow fall in heavy, thick flakes, whisked and turned by the wind. The sound of her family's laughter and shrieks of joy rang through the air like sweet music, muffled faintly by the crystalline sort of sound of snowflakes landing atop snowflakes. While it was possible that this snow heralded a long and bleak winter to come, she couldn't bring herself to hate it. Not when it seemed to bring her boys such joy. They deserved more joy like that.

She found herself lost in the memories of snowfalls past, and was only startled from this reverie by the surprisingly quiet presence of her eldest son, standing next to her. "Fili?" She said, a bit surprised at him having popped up like that. "What are you doing here?"

The boy shrugged.

Dis followed his gaze, to where, through the haze of snow, Thorin and Kili were still playing, Kili pelting his uncle with handfuls of fluffy snow. His aim was surprisingly accurate, even though he had to bend over in hysterical laughter every few seconds due to the sight of his uncle's beard crusted with frost and snow. The snow dwarf on the bluff, half constructed, and a bit muddy, had long since been abandoned, and Dis wasn't much surprised. Focus was not something her son had in abundance.

"Ma," Fili said suddenly. "Kee knows Thorin's not Da, right?"

"Hmm?" Dis hummed, a bit confused as she glanced down at her son. "Of course he does."

"It's just…" Fili began, biting his lip. "I know uncle does a lot for our family, and I know he loves us, and I know that it would be good for Kee to have someone to think of as a Da, but…Thorin's…"

Dis crouched down beside Fili, settling her hand on his back. "He's not your father."

Fili nodded, his gaze still fixed on his brother and uncle. "I know that. But…does Kee?"

Dis paused, inspecting her son's face. She could see he was confused, and maybe a bit frightened. Instead of answering his question, she said softly, "You know, you look just like your father did. Golden hair like none I've seen," she explained twirling a damp lock of this hair around her finger. "Bluer eyes than the sky."

"I think I do remember that," Fili said, hardly louder than a whisper.

"And you've the heart of him too," Dis added with a smile. "Big enough to love, and brave enough to protect. And I expect you to put that to good use, do you understand?"

"…aye," Fili said after a moment, turning to send a smile to Dis. "I think I do."

"Good," Dis said, pulling him into her side and planting a kiss atop his golden head. "That's my lionhearted boy."

They watched Thorin and Kili for a moment like this. Thorin was chasing him across the top of the bluff, as the younger one tried to flee, tossing back handfuls of snow that were whisked away in the wind before they got anywhere near Thorin. Kili was turned to shout something over his shoulder at Thorin, while still running away, when the forgotten snow-dwarf returned to prominence, Kili slamming face-first into it.

Fili snorted a laugh, while Dis let out her own chuckles, standing up straight, and giving her older son a pat on the back. "Come on, love. They'll be needing something warm to drink when they come back in."

* * *

Safe to say, the snow had exhausted the boys. Even Thorin had been yawning all throughout dinner. When they finished eating, they had all migrated to the fire, the smoke of Thorin's pipe filling the air with its sweet, familiar smell, the fire crackling low in the hearth. The storm was still blazing outside, the wind groaning softly. But inside their cottage, they were all warm and safe. Dis found herself smiling as she looked up from her sewing. All three of the boys were fast asleep. Thorin, in his chair, with his chin on his chest. Kili, curled in his lap, breaths fitful and slow, mouth half open. She'd be entirely shocked if he didn't end up leaving a puddle of drool on his uncle's tunic. Fili was asleep against the leg of Thorin's chair, his small features soft with the firelight.

Dis sighed, and set her needle aside, before standing, and making her way over to her brother, footsteps silent against the floor. "Brother?"

Thorin's breath caught, but he hardly stirred. Dis rolled her eyes. Her brother was always a heavy sleeper, especially when he was safe at home. She carefully lifted his arm from around Kili, drawing the sleeping dwarf off of his uncle's chest. He stirred slightly, dark eyes fluttering half open, but Dis settled him onto her hip, shushing him softly. "It's alright, baby dwarfling. Go back to sleep."

With a grumble, Kili tucked his face into Dis' shoulder, and was snoring again within moments. That settled, Dis nudged Thorin's leg with her foot. "Wake up, Thorin. Unless you'd like me to carry you to bed as well."

Thorin sighed, and finally his eyes opened sleepily. "Sister, you always have been there to wake me from a contented sleep."

Dis rolled her eyes. "Hush with the dramatics. Now go on to sleep."

Thorin started up from his chair, yawning. "I'll get Fili—"

"It's fine," Dis assured him. "I've got them. Just get some rest." A particularly harsh peal of wind rattled across the house, and Dis added, "You'll need it."

Thorin nodded gratefully, and pulled himself to his feet, ambling towards his small room.

Now the only one in the room properly awake, Dis moved carefully, slowly. The last thing she wanted was for her children to wake up. She climbed carefully up the ladder to the loft, trying not to jostle the dwarf on her hip. Luckily, the ceiling of their cottage was high enough that she was able to get Kili safely to his straw mattress, where she set him down gently, his tiny head rolling back onto his pillow. She had just tucked his favorite wool blanket around him when he stirred, a high-pitched yawn squeaking out of him. "Mama?" he slurred as she draped a thick elk-skin over him.

"Yes, love?"

"Is it still gonna be snowing tomorrow?"

Dis glanced to the walls, where although she couldn't see it, the storm audibly howled on. "I think it will be."

"Can I go out and play with uncle and Fee again?" he sighed, another yawn catching him, squinting his large, round eyes up.

"Of course," Dis said with a smile, before leaning down to place a soft kiss on his tiny forehead. "But you have to rest now."

With slight sound of agreement, the dwarfling curled onto his side, pulling his blankets along with him. Dis watched as his eyelids fell closed, his breath slipping out in long drags. "Goodnight, my baby dwarfling," she murmured, smiling. Her youngest sure knew how to grab at her heartstrings, even if he could be a bit troublesome.

She had just turned to return downstairs and put Fili to bed, when she saw just the dwarf she was going to look for leaning onto the loft from the top of the ladder, watching his brother with a faint smile of his own.

"What're you doing awake?" Dis breathed.

Fili shrugged, before crawling the whole way up into the loft. "I just woke up."

Dis nodded, and there was silence as Fili edged across the loft, to his own straw mattress, crawling under his rumpled blankets. "Did uncle go to bed?"

"Yes," Dis said, drawing up the boy's sheepskin to his neck. With the way the wind was roaring, they would need all the warmth they could get. If she had to guess, Kili would end up crawling into her bed with her sometime during the night. Or perhaps, he would go instead to his brother, now that he was a bit older than the last winter. "It's just you and I awake."

Fili nodded, his baby blue eyes affixed to the ceiling.

Dis knew her child well enough to wait for him to speak what was on his mind. Finally he did, sending a glance to his sleeping brother. "I have to take care of him."

"Do you?" Dis mused, sitting back to listen with a smile.

"Aye," Fili said simply. "He hasn't got da to look after him like I did. And uncle's not enough. So I'll have to look after him, right?"

Now, he looked to his mother, eyes expectant. Dis thought for a moment for the right answer, before saying, "You really are like your Da. Always looking to help."

"I have to," Fili said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "If I don't who else will?"

For a moment, Dis' breath caught in her throat, heat prickling at the back of her eyes.

" _Kilhon, it's not your duty."_

 _"Dis, they need help."_

 _"Let them find it somewhere else then! Stay with me tonight. Stay with your sons. They need you."_

 _"The miners need me as well. I have to help, Dis. If I don't, who else will?"_

 _With those words, and a comforting glance from a pair of eyes bluer than the sky, he was out the door and into the chill night for the last time._

And now, Dis was seeing, in the eyes of her son, that same look. The look of loving determination that had lit her husband's gaze the last time she had seen him.

"There's my little lion heart," she murmured, trying to keep her eyes from growing misty as she smoothed a hand over his brow, over his golden curls.

"Goodnight, mama," Fili sighed.

"Goodnight, love," she sighed, pressing a soft kiss against his brow, and sweeping over it one last time with her thumb, before excusing herself, the tears only growing heavier, unshed in her eyes.

When she reached the base of the ladder, she set her forehead against the rough wood, drawing in a deep breath as tears welled in her eyes, the first spilling hot down her cheek. She gripped her fingers hard into the rail. She couldn't fall apart. Not now. It was a happy day. It was not a day to mourn a fate she couldn't change.

"Mama?" Fili's voice called softly, above the throbbing in her head, and the moaning of the wind outside.

"Yes?" she breathed, trying to keep her voice as normal as possible, despite the tears that now streaked down her face.

"I love you."

She squeezed her eyes shut, and despite the pang of sadness in her heart, and the tears running hot down her face, a smile drew across her mouth.

"I love you too."

* * *

 _ **Alright, that turned a bit dark at the end, but still, I hope it lifted your spirits a bit this holiday season. I'm quickly discovering that this time period and especially Dis are one of my favorite things to write…And as you can probably tell from this story, my multichap has left me Fili-less recently. I miss my derpy dwarf. So this story may have been just a bit indulgent for me. I hope it was for you too! Fili is love. Fili is life. (Please tell me I'm not the only one that feels this way.)**_

 _ **Review if you have the time, especially let me know if you wanna read more content of this sort (Ered-Luin era Durin Family). It's the best present you could give me this Christmas. Well, have a very happy holiday season, my little dorklings!**_


	10. Matchmaker(s), Matchmaker(s) (I)

_**I do not own characters or world. Kili is about 8 in human years, while Fili is roughly 10.**_

* * *

 **Matchmaker(s), Matchmaker(s) (part I)**

"Brother?"

Said blond dwarf was unresponsive. How very strange. "Fee?" he tried again, edging a little closer. He had seen his brother a good ten minutes ago, squinting, staring, as if focusing _very_ hard on something across the room. He still hadn't moved an inch. Kili had grown gradually closer, said his brother's name a few times, but still hadn't managed to get his attention. Kili hated it when his brother got all _thinky_ like this. It was much better when he stopped thinking all together. More amusing, anyway.

He, at last, resorted to his last option, closing the distance between his brother and himself, and reaching up to yank hard at one of the braids that hung down beside the dwarf's ear. "Anyone in there?" he squawked as his brother tipped over on his chair, letting out a surprised yelp.

Luckily, Kili had gotten out of the way fast enough to avoid the falling dwarf. He'd gotten very good at that, actually. It seemed that practice did, indeed, make perfect.

" _Mahal,_ Kee, what do you want?"

Kili tsked, mischief bubbling up in him as he danced away from his brother, who was grasping around to try and get his feet back under him. "Mama wouldn't like to hear you using out maker's name like that, Fee."

Kili didn't miss his brother's glance around (checking to make sure that their Mama _wasn't,_ in fact, listening in) and rolled his eyes when he finally stood back up, puffing his chest out a bit. "Kee, I have a _plan."_

Kili raised a brow (A skill he'd recently mastered, thank you very much). "A plan?"

"A plan," Fili confirmed with a nod and a grin. He set a hand on Kili's shoulder. "Walk with me."

"Walk? Where are we—"

Kili was cut off as Fili started him strolling along around their home in the biggest circles they could manage. Huh. This must have been what he meant. It seemed strange. "Now," Fili began. "My dear brother, tell me, what is the one this that out uncle Thorin _doesn't_ have?"

Kili's brow furrowed in hard thought, before he guessed, "A third arm!"

"True, but not what I was going for," Fili sighed. "Try again."

"Uhm…A sack of carrots?"

"No," Fili groaned. "Not even close." After a moment of consideration, he corrected himself, "Alright, sort of close, but still not right."

Hmm…Like a sack of carrots, but _not_ a sack of carrots… "Potatoes, then?" Kili guessed.

"No!"

"A _sack_ of potatoes, I meant."

"Still on the carrot level," Fili huffed. "But that's even more wrong. He does have a sack of potatoes."

"He does?"

"Aye, of course. Right over there."

Sure enough, in the corner of the kitchen, a sack of potatoes. Probably their dinner for the next week. Huh. Figures.

"Then…" Finally, Kili surrendered. "This is hard! I give up!"

"You can't do that!" Fili shot back, a bit outraged.

"I can too!" Kili protested.

"Oh come on," Fili prompted. "You'll get it, I'm sure. Just keep guessing."

Kili groaned, but did as he was told. "A mule?"

"No."

"One of those big wide brimmed hats that I've seen—"

"No."

"…A mule?"

"No, again."

"Are you sure? Because I'm—"

"Fine!" Fili said, throwing his hands up. "Your stupidity had cracked me!" Kili glowered at the insult, but listened as his brother finally revealed this long awaited answer. "A _lass!"_

Kili wrinkled up his nose. "Really? That's it? I thought it might be something _exciting,_ like…like a jar of worms."

"A jar of worms?" Fili repeated. "What good's a jar of _worms?"_

"What good's a _lass?"_ Kili countered.

Fili rolled his eyes. "Oh, don't be daft. _Everyone's_ got a lass."

"Not everyone," Kili argued. "Mama hasn't got one."

"She's her _own_ lass."

"Dwalin hasn't got one either."

"He's…He's _special,_ you see."

"What about you? You haven't got a lass, Fee."

"I do too!" Fili protested, his cheeks immediately flushing a dark red.

"Who, then?" Kili challenged, nonplussed.

"Uhm…Well, there's…"

"That's what I thought," Kili said with a smirk.

 _"Anyway,"_ Fili began. "Point is, uncle Thorin needs a lass." Kili would have protested again, but his brother continued too quickly. "And it's up to _us_ to find him one."

Now this, this sparked Kili's interest. If Thorin _did_ indeed need a lass, as he apparently did, who better to choose her than his nephews? It was…well, as much as he hated to admit it, it was a pretty good plan. Flawless, really. Of course…"What is, exactly, the plan?"

His brother grinned.

* * *

It had been well decided that none of the dwarven women from their settlement would work to be their uncle Thorin's. There was just no _spark_ (as Fili had said. Kili didn't really get what he meant, but nodded along with it anyway). So, they'd both ended up at the conclusion that they would have to find Thorin a lass outside of the settlement. Seemed easy enough, aye?

Not aye.

This particular detail of their plan was turning out _quite_ a bit more difficult than either of them had originally anticipated. They were at _least_ an hour down the road out of the Blue Mountains, and there was nothing. Nobody. The road was _empty._ You'd think at least _one_ acceptable lass would be wandering about the roads. But no. Apparently not.

Fili was determined to press onward, even though Kili was growing weary. His boots practically had holes worn into the soles, and Kili was _hungry._ "Fee?"

His brother only grunted in response.

"Feeeee?" Kili tried again.

A slight nod as well that time. "Fee, I'm _hungry."_

"Just a little further," Fili mumbled out. "There has to be one coming along soon…"

Kili groaned out a huff, throwing his head back and stopping in the middle of the path. "Fee, we're going to miss dinner."

"Some things are more important than dinner," Fili replied sagely, pressing on down the road.

Kili let out a squeak of frustration, running a few paces to catch up with his brother. "Can't we just do this _tomorrow?"_

"Kee, Balin's always told us, 'there's no time like the present'."

"I've never gotten that," Kili said with a frown. "Why is time a present at all? Thorin doesn't bring it home after long trips to strange towns. Mum doesn't give them to us at solstice. Why is time like a present at all?"

"It's talking about an herb," Fili informed him, finally stopping and turning about. "You know, not _time,_ but _thyme."_ He suddenly gave Kili an incredulous look. "You didn't honestly think it was talking about _time,_ did you?"

"Of course not," Kili scoffed, lying. He had no idea. His brother didn't need to know that though.

Fili sighed, then, and crossed his arms over his chest as he looked over Kili's disheveled state, then to the sun, beginning to reach its golden-orange arms out across the sky. "Fine," he grunted. "We'll go back. But if Thorin's lass walks by and we miss her, it's on _you."_

Kili rolled his eyes, following after his brother as he breezed past Kili down the path. His brother could be the biggest of pains sometimes.

* * *

Dis was a very responsible mother.

She had to be. With two boys and a grumpy brother to take care of, she didn't have a choice. She always fed her family when they were hungry, took care of them when they fell ill, bandaged their wounds. If her sons turned up missing when she returned home from the market, and didn't show up, even when dinner came, she went out, put a search party together to bloody _find_ her babies. But on this particular night, her heart was at peace. Plus, Fili was old enough to take care of his brother. If it grew to be too late, she'd send out a search party. But she was sure they were fine.

Thus, following this line of thoughts, when Thorin came home from his long day of work, she simply slipped him a little lie when he asked about the boys, fed him dinner and sent him off to bed. When she heard small voices and footsteps coming down the path an hour later, she simply got out dinner for her boys, set it on the table, and stood behind her room's door, to listen as they walked in, disheveled, and ravenous from their day's adventure.

Dis was a very responsible mother.

Most of the time.

Because, honestly, who was to blame her if she just sat behind her door, trying not to laugh too hard at their topic of conversation, which of all things was about _matchmaking._ Matchmaking Thorin.

Mahal help them all.

 _ **This is, somewhat obviously, just the beginning of this fic. It may be two, perhaps three chapters. It should be fun though! As a younger sibling myself, I'm definitely relating with Kili here. Older siblings are ridiculous. Special thanks to**_ **mysterious victoria** _ **for her constant support of all of my stories, and for giving me the idea for this story. She's great! Reviews are love and life, especially if you want to see more lighthearted, humorous sort of stuff in this collection. Thanks for reading, and until a fortnight from now!**_


	11. Matchmaker(s), Matchmaker(s) (II)

_**I don't own any of Tolkien or Peter Jackson's characters or settings.**_

* * *

 **Matchmaker(S), Matchmaker(S) (part II)**

"Alright," Fili began, clearing his throat loudly. "Are we ready for this meeting of the Secret Oak Committee to commence?"

"What's committee?" Gimli asked with a frown.

"And what's commence?" Kili said.

"And what's 'oak' got to do with it?" Ori asked after a moment, scratching at the back of his head.

Fili huffed, rolling his eyes. "What, do you need me to explain 'secret' too?"

There was a short silence, before Gimli replied. "Well…No. I've got that one."

Fili had to take a moment to wonder why he had to be the oldest out of the young ones. Or at least, why he had to be the smartest. He quelled his frustration, though, turning to his "audience". "We'll begin, then. First off, you all need to _triple_ swear that you'll never tell anyone else what we say or what we do here."

Kili nodded, saying firmly, "Aye. I triple swear."

"Okay," Gimli simply responded with a shrug. Fili would take that.

Meanwhile, Ori seemed to be struggling, biting his lip. "Well…"

"Well?" Fili prompted, lifting a brow. "Are you in or are you not in? I can't have any fibbers, Ori."

"It's just that…well, Dori."

 _"Dori,"_ Fili groaned. "Who cares about _Dori?"_

"He can always tell if I'm lying," Ori protested. "And if I don't tell, he'll not give me _dinner!"_

"Look, Ori," Fili began. "I know it's difficult, but some sacrifices must be made for the good of the committee!"

"Again, what's a committee?" Gimli cut in.

"Unimportant," Fili explained dismissively. "Now Ori, I need you to come and talk with me."

The boy scrambled off of the ground to Fili's side, eyes eager and wide. "I'm sorry, Fee, I just can't—"

"But you _can,"_ Fili urged him, placing a hand on his shoulder and guiding him a bit into the trees, away from the sharp ears of the younger ones. "And you have to."

Ori frowned, looking up at him. "What?"

Fili sighed, shaking his head. "Look, Ori, I'm not going to lie. We need you."

When Ori only looked more confused, Fili continued. "You're the brains of the operation! You're what's going to make this whole effort fail or succeed."

Ori opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again, sort of like a fish out of water. Finally he got out, "But Dori—"

Fili snorted. "Dori _Schmori!_ You don't need him! But we need _you,"_ he insisted, prodding the dwarf in the chest. "You're my genius, Ori. You're my _right hand dwarf."_

"Oh," Ori said, looking a bit surprised, but pleased all the same. In a moment, though, he asked, "Shouldn't your brother be that, though?"

Fili shot a glance over the dwarf's shoulder to where said brother was working hard at trying to reach his head around to lick his elbow. He waved Ori's concern off. "He can be my left hand man. But what do you say, Ori? Are you going to help me in this noble task?"

Ori sighed deeply, and Fili could see the thoughts churning behind his eyes, before he finally said, "Yes. I believe I am." Fili was about to whoop in happiness when Ori continued, asking, "What _is_ exactly our task, though?"

* * *

With two slices of bread, a skin of milk, and a head of cabbage, they were off. Well, Kili, Ori, and Fili anyway. Gimli had ended up staying behind, seeing as his mama called him in for nap time. Fili was a bit grateful. Familial obligation had called for him to invite his younger cousin on the quest, but in reality, Fili didn't figure he would be much use at all.

While he had been confused at first, Ori had come to a sort of understanding with their goal. He had agreed to help anyway, and that was a huge weight off of Fili's chest. It was impossibly difficult, being the master-planner, leader _and_ clever one all together.

They went out on the same road he and Kili had tried just two nights ago. This time, though, they wouldn't return until they had what they sought. They had food and drink, and they had even taken Thorin's old bedroll and a blanket. They were set for the greatest adventure.

Fili could only imagine his uncle's face when he returned with the love of his life. Well…actually, Fili couldn't really imagine that face. In fact, the very thought of love-struck Thorin made him feel vaguely disgusted. But never mind that. They would all get used to it eventually.

It was noon, he estimated. The sun was high in the sky, and well…it just _felt_ like noon to him. Plus, he was hungry.

From those observations came the unanimous decision to stop for a snack. They tore the bread up between them and all drank from the milk skin happily, until Kili mused, "What are we going to do now that our food's run out?"

Drat. Fili hadn't thought of that. "We haven't run out," he offered, gesturing at the untouched, slightly battered whole cabbage sitting in the dust in the middle of their circle. "We've got the cabbage."

Ori looked sullenly at the vegetable. "I don't _like_ green foods."

"Neither do I," Kili mumbled.

Fili stared at the cabbage, trying not to look disgusted as he bit out, "I don't mind it."

Kili snorted. "That's not true! You hate cabbage."

Fili reddened slightly, but rolled his eyes. "I do _not."_

"You do to," Kili shot back. "Last time mum served it for dinner, you crie—"

"That's _enough,"_ he interrupted, trying not to blush further. He didn't bloody _cry._ He just may have…teared up a bit. His allergies always acted up that season of the year. And sweat always seemed to start out of his eyes. "We don't _need_ the cabbage anyway. I can hunt, you know."

"With what?" Ori prompted.

"A stick, obviously," Kili scoffed.

When Ori gave him a baffled look, he rolled his eyes. "A _sharpened_ stick."

Ori bit his lip, frowning hard. "You know…maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

"No!" Kili gasped. "This is the best idea!"

"Is it?" Ori fretted. "We're miles away from home, with no food to speak of other than a cabbage, with no tent to sleep under, no fire, no map—"

"No." Fili said sharply, drawing all attention to his serious tone. "We're not giving up. Not until we complete our quest."

He ignored Ori's continued frowning and stood up, slinging Thorin's bedroll back onto his back. "Come on," he said briskly. "Kili, grab the cabbage, we have a lass to find."

* * *

Even Fili, in all of his dead-set conviction was losing hope. It was growing late, around suppertime, and his feet were killing him. It felt like his boots had worn all of the way through, and the straps on Thorin's bedroll were digging painfully into his arms. His stomach ached for hunger, his tongue dry from thirst. Ori and Kili were dragging as well.

Though he wouldn't dare admit it to the others, Fili's mind was wandering onto some darker topics. What if they had to spend the night? It got terribly cold at night…would they make it? And what if he couldn't master hunting with a pointed stick right away? What if they couldn't find their way back home? Would mum think he was dead? Would uncle cry? Would Gimli finally break his promise no to tell anyone of their mission? Fili hoped not.

While Fili kept most of this internal, Kili had no such reservations. "Fee! My feet are going to—"

"Fall off," Ori filled in drily. "You've said."

"It's _true,"_ Kili groaned, dragging his feet ever more than before. "And I'm so _thirsty._ I think I might die."

"Then do it," Fili grumbled under his breath. "Do us all a favor."

"It'll take longer than this to die," Ori sighed, not having heard Fili.

"Great," Kili drawled. "My suffering's going to get drawn out longer!"

"I could kill you now," Fili offered, only half joking.

"Fee, I'll tell mama!"

"You couldn't if you're dead," he said with a shrug.

"Why are you being so _mean?"_ Kili asked, stopping dead in the middle of the path.

Fili rolled his eyes. "Why are _you_ being so whiny?"

"Am not!" Kili shot back, crossing his arms over his chest, and frowning. Ori's eyes darted between the two of them as their argument proceeded as if he didn't know how to properly choose a side.

"Are too!" Fili snapped. "You're being a big, whiny _baby!"_

"I'm not a _baby!"_ Kili gasped.

"You're bloody well acting like one," Fili sneered down at him.

Kili looked to be struggling to find something to say to that, his face screwing up tight, and finally, he burst out, "I _knew_ this was a bad idea!"

"No you didn't," Fili scoffed. "You've only agreed with me this whole time!"

"No…no I haven't!"

"You don't get to tell _me_ "I told you so"!" Fili growled, a twisted sort of satisfaction filling his chest at the sight of tears in his brother's eyes. "But I do. I _told_ you you're a giant dumb baby dwarfling! See? You're even crying like _always."_

"Stop it!" Kili squeaked, his hands crumpling into fists.

"Stop what?" Fili asked, leaning in, taunting. "Stop calling you out for—"

"Fili."

Ori's quiet, but strong words caught him off guard and he fell silent, looking at the dwarf, looking between the two of them in horror. "Stop it."

Finally, Fili let out a breath, the wickedness in him abating, to give way to pure exhaustion. When the red faded from his eyes, he saw his brother drop to his bum in the middle of the road, burying his face in his hands as a terrible sob rattled out of him. Ori was next, falling off of his feet on the side of the path. Fili so wanted to join them. But still… "Just like that? You're giving up so easily?"

They didn't respond, Ori looking down at his hands, Kili letting out a gasping cry of anguish. Fili sighed. That was it, then. In a moment, he was sitting as well, and _goodness,_ it felt good. But still, fear sat heavily on his chest. Mama would be terrified, looking for them as the night came in. And when she couldn't find them, she'd think they were dead, just like Da. That was a horrible thought. And if they ever did get back, Thorin's punishment would be…

Despite all of that, Fili longed to be home. Maybe the quest was daft. Maybe there wasn't a lass out there for Thorin. It would be odd, him being a father. Maybe it was for the best that they didn't find a lass…

These thoughts vanished from his head as a rough voice behind him called, "Who goes there?!"

* * *

 _ **I shouldn't make excuses…But I'm going to. I had to spend upwards of 7 hours straight working with a particularly dumb and diva-like group of actors yesterday. The techie struggle. This also explains the notable brattiness of all of the characters in this chapter. But hey. Little kids are brats anyway. It's excusable. I should have the next update up much sooner…maybe next Friday or the one after that? Thanks for sticking with me on this, and I'd love to see a review from you if you had the chance. Let me know you're favorite line from this chapter, if nothing else. Thanks! I love you all!**_


	12. Matchmaker(s), Matchmaker(s) (III)

_**I do not own the characters or world.**_

* * *

 **Matchmaker(S), Matchmaker(S) (part III)**

Dis wasn't a mother that never let her children three feet from her side. She didn't buzz about them like a swarm of angry bees whenever they scraped their knees. She didn't shout at them for beating each other with sticks when the mood hit them. She didn't refuse to let them out of her sight.

No. Her boys could take care of themselves.

Still. Even she was a bit worried when dinner had passed and she hadn't seen them since breakfast. And if she was growing a bit concerned, that didn't bode well at all for Thorin. He hadn't started pacing yet, but his foot had been tapping on the ground incessantly through all of dinner, and she could see his right eye twitching minutely every few seconds

He and Dis had settled down by the fire after dinner, and Dis entertained herself with sewing a button back onto Fili's cloak. Thorin was doing no such thing to occupy himself, and Dis was completely unsurprised as he finally burst out, "They should be home by now."

"Aye," Dis said, keeping her voice measured and her eyes fixed on her handiwork. "So they should."

Thorin huffed slightly, sitting back in his chair, crossing his arms. "It's long-since dark out. Where could they be?"

"I assure you, I haven't a clue," Dis murmured.

"So they could be lying somewhere in a ditch bleeding out."

This gave her a bit of pause, fear jerking at her heart, but she quashed that feeling as quickly as she could, telling him, "They'll be home soon."

"And if they're not?"

Finally, Dis set down her sewing, letting out a sigh. "What do you want from me, brother?"

"I want you to let me go out to look for them," he answered readily, leaning forward in his chair.

"No," Dis shot back instantly, setting her sewing aside with a sense of finality. "We've no idea what direction they've gone in, or how far they've gone. We'd end up getting hurt ourselves."

"Sister," Thorin began his tone edging on a growl. "I held my own at a hundred battlefields. I killed _Azog the Defiler—"_

"Aye," she cut him off. "At the battle of Anzinuzibar with the blood of your grandfather pooling at your toes, the smell of defeat thick in the air. I know. The point is, I have given you my reasons, and you will either except them, and stay here, or you will ignore them and _still_ stay here."

Thorin jerked up to his feet, air escaping him in an annoyed hiss. _There_ was the pacing. "Dis, my nephews, _your_ sons, could be out there, cold, and lost, and frightened, or _dead_ for all we know—"

"Oh, _ye_ of little faith," she snapped, rolling her eyes. "Do you put no stock in a mother's intuition? If my children were dead, I would have some feeling of it, I would think. And I feel nothing, so we can only assume that this is just some of their usual mischief."

"Their _usual mischief_ doesn't keep them out until all hours of the night with no word of warning to us!"

"So perhaps it is some _un_ usual mischief they have chosen to get into now," she barked back, jerking up out of her chair and making her way into the kitchen. "Now, brother, I would prefer if you would _stop_ making demons out of things that aren't there, and sit and wait for them to return."

Thorin stared hard at her for a moment, and Dis wondered, offhandedly, if her sisterly authority had finally worn off. Would there ever be a day when he stopped taking stock in her commands? Mahal almighty, she hoped not.

He broke their gazes with a huff, sitting back down into his chair with a vengeance, wrenching his pipe off of the side table.

Dis stared down at her hands as she braced them on the tabletop, trying to quell the worries that bubbled up in her chest. They were _fine._ She knew that. She knew it.

She had just picked up a log from beside the fire when a sound outside the walls of her home gained her attention. Crunch by crunch, she became certain that the sound was footsteps. And if she wasn't entirely confused, it was the sound of two sets of footsteps. Part of her wanted to believe that it was her children, finally slinking back home. But their footsteps were never that heavy.

A chill ran down her spine as suddenly, all of the possibilities, all of Thorin's once daft suspicions seemed _real._ Mother's intuition? What in Mahal's name was she thinking?

Her eyes met Thorin's as she dropped the log, standing upright slowly, trying not to let panic overtake her. Whatever was coming, she needed to be ready for it.

Thorin set his pipe down carefully as it quickly began apparent that the footsteps were growing louder, closer. Thorin gave her a reassuring, but tense nod as he stood silently, tearing his gaze away from her to lock it onto the door. "Who goes there?"

His barked question left a void of silence outside, and Dis' heart clenched up in her chest.

That knot untied itself in an instant at the sound of Fili's voice, tired and muffled but strong, calling out, "It's just me, uncle!"

Just him? Where did that leave—

"Kili's here too."

Mahal, her son knew her twice as well as she knew herself.

She had hurried to the door by the time Thorin was opening it up. Fili stumbled past the threshold. His hair was mussed beyond wonder, face smeared with dust, clothing grimy. Dis didn't find this half as disturbing as his brother, splayed across the boy's back, his head lolling.

"Fee," Dis sighed, kneeling down next to him. "What's happened?"

"Kee fell asleep," Fili informed her, nodding sagely as his brother let out a long snorting snore.

"I can—"Dis was cut off as the sound of a throat clearing caught onto her attention. She lifted her eyes to see a much taller, darker silhouette blocking out the doorway behind her son. Dis' blood ran cold again, as she ushered her children a bit behind her, saying in a slightly suspicious tone, "Now who's this?"

"Oh, that's—"

"Lady Sigrid, grand-daughter of Girion of Dale," the stranger announced, sweeping the hood of her cloak away from her face. The lamplight from the house spilled faintly out over her, illuminating her sharp features, framed in a halo of dark hair.

Thorin stepped up before Dis could reply. "So I meet your acquaintance. Dis." She opened her mouth to reply, but Thorin beat her to it, sending her a look that told her not to dare question him. "Take the boys back to bed now."

Fili looked ready to protest, but Dis didn't let him, plucking his brother away from him, and coaxing him towards her room. As much as she could order Thorin about, that was a mutual relationship. Plus, Dis had a strange feeling about this woman. What was she doing with Dis' children?

"Mama," Fili burst out once the door had closed. "Why'd uncle send us away?"

"He has to have a private talk with Lady Sigrid," Dis explained, seating herself on the edge of her bed, balancing the drooping Kili on her knee. "Now, enough of that, how about you tell me what happened today?"

"Well, we went out," Fili explained with a shrug, plopping down onto the floor, ripping off his boots. "We had to find something."

"Something?" Dis repeated as she worked Kili's boots off of his feet. Kili seemed to wake slightly at this, grumbling, but Dis silenced him with a hush.

"Something," Fili confirmed. "And we found her, so we came back home. We already took Ori home."

"How responsible of you," Dis commented a bit sarcastically.

As per usual, her son missed the sarcasm altogether, nodding. "Aye. I took good care of them."

Dis sighed, setting Kili's shirt aside, to look at Fili. He was pulling Thorin's bedroll from his shoulder, looking weary, but entirely content with himself. Content with the way he kept his little company safe. Mahal willing, he would make a great king someday.

She broke from this reverie to lift Kili up, tucking him under her blankets, against her pillow. He was filthy, of course, but she dared not take the children back out to wash up until she knew the coast was clear. He immediately curled into a ball, snuggling closer to the mattress, a smile lighting his face. Fili hopped onto the bed next to her. "Are we sleeping here? Where will you be?"

"I'll move you two later," she explained, lifting the covers for her older son to crawl under. "Once Lady Sigrid's gone."

"Mmkay," Fili hummed, sighing as he settled into the blankets. "I love you mama."

The comment caught her slightly off guard, but left her smiling, warmth bubbling up in her chest. "I love you too, my lion heart."

She brushed a kiss against Kili's forehead, before standing from her bed, making her way towards the door. Her blankets would be all full of mud and dust, no doubt. But it was a sacrifice she was willing to make.

When she emerged into the common room, Thorin and Lady Sigrid were seated at the table, seeming to have fallen into a terse silence upon her entering. Dis sat herself down at the table, smiling slightly at the woman. "So, do explain, how did my boys manage to drag you here?"

Lady Sigrid smiled slightly, though it was tired. "I was actually making my way here anyways. I have some…negotiating to work out with your brother. But I ran across your children on my way here, and they went mad. According to them, they were 'trying to find a lass for their uncle Thorin'."

Evidently, this was the first that Thorin had heard of this as his face darkened a few shades behind his beard, and his words lost their usual eloquence. "Well I—I've no idea what that—where they got that from."

Dis, as well as Sigrid fought laughter at this. Mahal above, Dis _loved_ her children. She must have done something right, raising them. "It seems they took initiative where you would not, brother!"

"I do not _need_ initiative, or a _lass_ or—"he cut off his vicious growling at Dis as he seemed to remember that Sigrid was there. He cleared his throat, trying to recompose himself. "Lady Sigrid, I'm afraid that it's very late. There is a small house in town for travelers. Call there and mention that I sent you, and they'll give you a place to stay tonight. We can finish our discussion tomorrow."

Sigrid nodded as she stood quite gracefully. "I hope that you'll consider my propositions, Thorin."

Thorin chose quite diplomatically not to answer that at all, instead giving her a nod. "Until tomorrow."

With one last half-smile towards Dis, Sigrid gathered her gear, and swept out the door, closing it behind her.

"Propositions?" Dis asked as soon as the woman was out of earshot. "What was she talking about?"

"She wants some sort of _assurance,"_ he nearly spat. "She blames us for the destruction of Dale, and says that her people deserve repayment."

"She forgets that we have nothing, then," Dis snorted. "Our king is living in a cottage. What do they want from us? Fleas?"

"No," Thorin sighed. "She wants a portion of our wealth, should we reclaim it."

"Reclaim it?" Dis repeated, incredulous. "What are you—No."

She recognized that look in her brother's eye. Guilt. _He_ did not think it so strange, the thought of reclaiming their wealth. "Absolutely no!" she said again, keeping her voice below a shout only because her sons were sleeping a door away. "We have discussed this before, and we have decided that it is _insane._ Suicidal."

"Dis," Thorin began, rubbing at his temples.

She cut him off, smacking her hand onto the table, leaning forward. "Can you not just be _happy_ with the life we built here? Can you not—"

"It is late," Thorin said above her. "And I am tired."

He stood, and Dis opened her mouth to speak, but he continued. "We are both far too weary to have this argument again."

"Wait," Dis called after him as he started towards his room. He stopped, and turned to face her, hearing that the argument had left her tone. She schooled her features into a straight face as she deadpanned, "Should I tell the lads they'll have to try and find another lass for you?"

Thorin flushed again, and turned, grumbling, towards his door. "Goodnight, Dis."

"Or perhaps you're not totally turned against Lady Sigrid?" she continued, speaking to his back. "I mean, I think I saw some sparks—"

"Good _night,"_ he snapped, slamming his door closed.

Dis was left chuckling to herself, a grin lighting her face. "Goodnight indeed, brother.

She was about to stand, to prepare herself for sleep, when a door creaked open. In a moment, Kili's head, bedraggled and sleepy-eyed poked out from behind her door. "Mama?"

"Kee?" she asked, smiling bemusedly. "What are you doing up?"

He made his way over to her instead of answering, and crawled his way onto her lap, wrapping his arms about her neck, resting his little head against her sternum. "I'm hungry."

"Are you?" Dis hummed.

Kili nodded against her. "I really am."

"And what do you suppose we do about that?"

Kili was about to answer, when Fili came into the room with a sigh. "Kee! Well, I—Sorry mum," he huffed, faking frustration at his brother with a hearty shake of his head. "I _told_ him not to bother you, now when you're so—"

Dis cut off his amateurish acting, lifting a brow. "You're hungry as well aren't you?"

"Well…" with one more look, he sighed, giving up his ruse. "Aye. I am."

Dis stood with a chuckle, balancing Kili on her hip. He was getting heavy, she noted. She wouldn't be able to tote him about like that for too much longer. "Then let's say we get ourselves a snack."

* * *

 _ **That was just dandy, wasn't it. The emotions got a bit real, here, or course. What did you expect from me, really? I enjoy the tenseness of Thorin and Dis' relationship. They love eachother but they're both very hotheaded and opinionated.**_

 _ **That said, this was the last entry for this little miniseries. It's been fun. Now, next I could do something a bit angsty and dark, or I also have a little one-shot highschool AU sort of in the universe of autumn evenings. So let me know by review or PM which one you wanna see. Just review anyway, though. I'd love to hear your thoughts on Thorin and Dis' relationship, little Fili and Kili ect.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading! See you all in a bit.**_


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